9 
Should by any chance a l)as 4 ' fall into a “loaded” jar l)y the l)reaking of a 
string, or through imperfect t\ing, the men working on that floor should leave 
the floor instantly for the floor next l)elow, closing the door or opening through - 
which the}' pass, and they must not enter that floor again until it has lieen thor- 
oughly aired after treatment. Previous to this, or while it is being done, note 
is taken that every window is tightly closed, and it is assumed that all cats 
which a miller may wish to save have previously been removed from the build- 
ing. fl'he ground floor being reached, and all men accounted for, the doors of 
the mill are closed, and the charges on every floor, beginning with the top stor}^, 
can he lowered by loosening the ropes connected with them and fastened out- 
side. Do not loosen ajiy rope, the freeing of ‘ivhich zvill open a zvindozV: Further, 
if 1)}’ chance any window has l)een overlooked, and is found to he open after 
the men have left the mill, it is not safe to let any one enter the building to 
correct the oz’crsight. 
The charge is liest set off at al)Out five o'clock p. m., and the mill left closed 
until seven a. m. next day, guards being left about the building over night, and 
every necessary precaution being taken to guard against accident through care- 
lessness or ignorance. Do not fumigate if a strong wind is 1:)lowing ; a perfectly 
still night is most desirable. 
At six or seven the following morning open all doors and windows possible 
from the outside. After two hours’ airing the writer does not hesitate to enter 
any fumigated building. The first thing to do, and I prefer to do this myself, is 
to go over the plant and carefully remove from the proximity of the jars any 
charges which may not for any reason have “gone off.” These bags of cyanide, 
if there are any, I carefully collect and remove to a place of safety. Then the 
workmen can remove and clean the jars. If the residue is solid, it can be 
removed with any suitable iron tool and it is soluble in water. After the jars 
are washed with hot water they are perfectly good for any purpose whatever. 
Theoretically this residue is not poisonous (although it is still acid, and will 
l)urn skin or clothes), 1)ut the chemical action mav' not have been complete, hence 
great care should he used in disposing of it. A very good plan is to dig a hole 
in the ash heap, or in the earth, dump the contents of each jar therein, and 
cover the hole after all jars are emptied. The jars should afterwards be thor- 
oughly cleaned and scrulDbed. 
In removing jars from the building workmen should not hold them near 
their faces, fl'he movement of the crock might cause a little more gas to rise 
from the contents. One accident from this cause is on record. 
If by any chance any cyanide should have been overlooked and should drop 
into a jar when a workman is by it, he and others in the proximity should 
leave that floor instantly, closing doors behind them. The windows being open 
at this time the poisonous fumes would soon he carried away. 
Hydrocyanic acid gas will not penetrate large bins of grain; nor will it 
enter fine stuff, like flour, l)eyond a very short distance, an inch possibly. It 
therefore behooves a miller to take away and l)urn any refuse fine matter on 
the floors or in the spouts which he has reason to believe infested. Alarketable 
mill stuff, bran, etc., in sack, should be shipped before treatment or immediately 
after, that the mill may not be reinfested from possil)ly contaminated material. 
