104 Explosion of Hydrogen and Oxygen. 



Art. X. — Explosion of Hydrogen and Oxygen, with remarks 

 on Hemniing^s Safety Tube ; by Prof. J, W. Webster of 

 Harvard University. 



The occurrence of several explosions of the compound blow- 

 pipe of Dr. Hare, in the hands of experienced chemists, is well 

 known ; and the student can take up none of the modern chem- 

 ical books without being made aware of the danger of using an 

 imperfect or ill contrived form of the apparatus. In the use of 

 two separate reservoirs for the gases, and the double concentric 

 jet, it is impossible that explosion can occur. But it has, as those 

 accustomed to use this splendid instrument* are well aware, been 

 modified in various ways, with the desire to render it more porta- 

 ble, safe or convenient. The repetition of the early experiments 

 of Dr. Hare and Prof. Silliman, by the late Dr. Clarke, of Cam- 

 bridge, (Eng.) and his disregard of the claims of these gentlemen, 

 are also well known ; but it is somewhat singular, that so many 

 of the British chemical writers should still incline to give the 

 credit of these brilliant results to him who but repeated what had 

 been long before accomplished in this country. As every chemist 

 must deem the compound blow-pipe, in some form, an essential 

 portion of his apparatus, and as it has even become one of the 

 constituent parts of the cheap, and too often imperfect, " sets of 

 apparatus," manufactured in all parts of the country, for the use 

 of schools of all grades, not unfrequently to be used by begin- 

 ners or inexperienced persons, it is highly important that every 

 one should be aware of the danger of operating with the single 

 vessel as a reservoir of the mixed gases. The convenience of 

 transportation, and the small space it occupies, are great tempta- 

 tions to make use of the single vessel and compressed gases, as in 

 the form first employed in England in the blow-pipe of Mr. 

 Brooke. The tremendous explosions which took place with this 

 instrument in the hands of Dr. Clarke, and of several others, the 

 defences erected by the operators for personal protection, and the 

 modifications in the jets, ad infinitum, with which the philoso- 

 phical journals teemed, are too well known to be described. But 



* For this invention our distinguished countryman, Dr. Hare, has recently been 

 most deservedly honored by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences with 

 the Rumford medals. 



