558 
MISCELLANEA. 
Spontaneous Ignition. —“ The spontaneous ignition of pyrotechnical compositions • 
made with chlorate of potash is indeed a very serious subject as regards the safety of 
both life and property. I know not if any reliable observations have been made in the 
matter, but the following facts were noted by myself some years ago, and may throw 
some light upon the probable origin of various terrible fires which have occurred on the 
premises of hrew'ork-makers in London. Mixtures of the three ingredients—nitrate of 
strontia (or barytes), sulphur, and chlorate of potash—if made up at once from freshly 
and strongly desiccated materials, are certain to take fire spontaneously within a few 
hours, especially if placed in a rather damp situation. The action, which 1 twice had 
the patience to watch for and witness, begins with the evolution of an orange-coloured 
gas ; afterwards a liquefaction is set up at several points in the mass ; a hissing noise 
and a more rapid disengagement of the gaseous matter comes on, and the composition 
takes fire. It is a curious thing that the addition of a small proportion of sulpburet of 
antimony at once prevents the occurrence of these phenomena ; whether charcoal has 
the same effect I am not quite sure. Moreover, if such compositions, being damp, are, 
in order to dry them, placed too near the source of heat, the same phenomena will take 
place even when antimony is used in their composition. Also, compositions to produce 
a purple flame, if made with black oxide of copper, are almost sure, sooner or later, to 
take fire of themselves at uncertain periods, whether kept in a damp or dry place. The 
carbonate should always be usedin preference. — R. Trevor Clarke.”— Chemical News. 
Suicide by Cyanide of Potassium. —On Friday, November 23, an inquest was 
held at the Royal Free Hospital, upon the body of Maria Elizabeth Millidge, aged 
twenty, of 32, Tysoe Street. It appeared from the evidence that her husband had de¬ 
serted her, which caused her great distress of mind. She had induced her younger sister 
to fetch some cyanide of potassium, with the properties of which she was acquainted, 
her father being a photographer. Shortly after having obtained possession of the poison, 
she was found insensible on the floor of the apartment where she lived, and was taken 
to the hospital, where every means were used to restore the deceased, but without effect. 
The post-mortem examination clearly showed that death had been caused by a large 
dose of cyanide of potassium. It was evident that the poor young woman had been 
left by her husband without any means of subsistence. The verdict returned was, 
*• That deceased poisoned herself while in a distressed state of mind producing temporary 
insauity.— Chemical News. 
Accidental Death from Burning by Phosphorus. —An inquest has been held 
at the Infirmary, Bristol, on the body of Robert Ellis, who died from the effects of severe 
burns. From the evidence it appeared that deceased, in walking over the Down, had 
picked up what he considered to be a stick of sugar-candy, which he put into his trousers 
pocket. Shortly afterwards the substance ignited, causing the injuries from which he 
died. Mr. Board, the house-surgeon at the Infirmary, had little doubt, from the descrip¬ 
tion given by deceased, that the burn was caused by phosphorus. It was proved in evi¬ 
dence that a gentleman, on the day before the accident, had purchased of Mr. Hatch, 
chemist, Redland, some phosphorus for chemical experiments, and had taken it to the 
house of a friend for that purpose, and having no further use for it, had placed the bottle 
containing it behind the leg of a seat in the garden for safety. The next morning it 
was missing, and it was supposed that it had been taken from the garden and thrown 
on the path, where the deceased picked it up; but there was no evidence to connect the 
phosphorus picked up with that purchased of Mr. Hatch. The coroner, therefore, re¬ 
commended the jury to return an open verdict. 
Accidental Poisoning by Landanum. —Mr. Emsley, the borough coroner, held 
an inquest yesterday on the body of a child, named Frederick Hobson, son of Mr. J. 
W. Hobson, Ellerby Lane. On Sunday last, Mr. Hobson, with his wife and child, 
went to dine at his father's, a provision dealer, in Accommodation Road, along with a 
large party of friends. Towards evening the child screamed very much, and its grand¬ 
mother recommended a second dose of Godfrey’s cordial, one dose having been given 
during the afternoon. This was assented to, and Mrs. Hobson, sen., who is rather short¬ 
sighted, went into the shop to fetch the bottle, but it would appear that she got hold of 
a bottle containing laudanum instead. The mistake was not discovered until about a 
quarter of an hour afterwards three-quarters of a spoonful of the poison had been admi¬ 
nistered. Antidotes were then immediately applied, and surgical assistance obtained, but 
