162 ON THE EXPLOSION OF BURNING FLUID. 
near, explosion must result. If the quantity of mixed gases 
be large, the explosion may cause the destruction of the 
containing vessel ; or, if that remain entire, it may drive 
out a portion of the fluid, which, taking fire, may cause 
more or less injury. 
The course of safety has been pointed out by the dealers 
in these articles for illumination. It is, to fill the lamps 
(the tops of which are without special air-holes, and which 
screw on) in the absence of flame, by daylight for example; 
in which case no explosion can occur. 
Accidents similar to those with burning fluids have taken 
place in the use of the so-called air-tight stoves for burning 
wood. After the wood has been fired, and the supply of 
air for some time shut off, on reopening the draft (and some- 
times without, there is reason to believe) occasional explo- 
sions of great violence have occurred, attended sometimes 
with the partial destruction of the stove. The probable 
explanation is the following. 
After firing the wood and shutting off fhe draft, destruc- 
tive distillation commences. Inflammable gases issue from 
the wood, which, mingling with air derived from the pipe 
or remaining still unconsumed, furnish a mixture becoming 
more and more explosive, until at length the proper pro- 
portions having been obtained, the incandescent coal or a 
jet of flame causes explosion. 
As these accidents are not of frequent occurrence, it may 
be found that the probability of producing inflammable 
gases in the required quantity is less with some varieties of 
wood than with others.— Chemical Gazette, Feb. 1, 1S50. 
