in a Flour- Warehouse . 
55 
Account of a violent Explosion which happened in a 
Flour Warehouse , at Turin , December the lit A, 
1785 ; to which are added some observations on spon- 
taneous Inflammations . By Count Mqrozzo.^ 
THE Academy having expressed a desire to have 
a particular account of the explosion which I mentioned 
to them a few days after it happened, I have made all 
possible haste to fulfil their desires, by ascertaining with 
the utmost attention, all the circumstances of the fact, so 
as to be able to relate it with the greatest exactness. 
I shall take the liberty to add to it a short account of 
several spontaneous inflammations, which have happened 
to different substances, and which have been the cause 
of very great misfortunes. Although the greater number 
of these phenomena is already well known to philoso- 
phers, I trust the collecting them together in this place 
will not be displeasing, as it is impossible to render too 
well known facts which so strongly interest the public 
utility. 
On the ldth of December, 1785, about six o’clock in 
the evening, there took place in the house of Mr. Giaco- 
melli, baker in this city, an explosion which threw down 
the windows and window-frames of his shop, which 
looked into the street ; the noise was as loud as that of a 
large cracker, and was heard at a considerable distance. 
At the moment of the explosion, a very bright flame, 
which lasted only a few seconds, was seen in the shop ; 
and it was immediately observed, that the inflammation 
proceeded from the flour-warehouse, which was situated 
over the back shop, and where a boy was employed in 
stirring some flour by the light of a lamp. The boy had 
* Repert. of Arts, vol. ii. p, 416, From the Memoirs of the Academy of 
Sciences of Turin. 
