﻿Acetylene. 107' 



similar impurity is present in dangerous quantity, they 

 can probably be removed by a proper treatment of the- 

 gas. 



Arsenuretted hydrogen might also be present, but I 

 have failed to find any trace of it in commercial acetylene.. 



It has been said that acetylene gas could never act as a 

 poison, because an escape from a leaky pipe would attract 

 the attention of a person, even while asleep, by its irri- 

 tating action upon the throat, producing coughing. The 

 statement is contrary to all my observations. 



Further experiments upon this subject are required,, 

 but the evidence already accumulated seems to be favour- 

 able to acetylene as compared with water gas, and if the- 

 new illuminant can be made for a reasonable price and 

 can be quite freed from poisonous impurities it should 

 become a formidable competitor with water gas. On the 

 other side, however, we shall find that the danger from 

 explosion will call for special precautions in the use of 

 acetylene gas. 



Danger in Use of Liquefied Acetylene. 



There will be an evident advantage, if acetylene gas^ 

 lighting succeeds, to begin by introducing it without put- 

 ting down mains and setting down generating houses ;. 

 this can be done by supplying customers with liquefied 

 gas. A cylinder holding say 1,000 cu. ft. gas compressed 

 in a space of less than 2 cu. ft. can be attached to the- 

 gas pipes of a house in place of a meter. 



This new gas service is, however, not so simple as would^ 

 at first appear. Two cylinders must be used at once, or- 

 at least a second one must be brought before the first is- 

 exhausted to make the supply continuous, otherwise we- 

 should have the disagreeable surprise of finding the gas- 

 extinguished. A gauge on the cylinders must be watched 

 to see when No. 1 must be cut off and No. 2 turned on.. 



