THE DANGERS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND MEASURES TO LESSEN THESE DANGERS

Abstract

Poisoning by carbon monoxide is one of the hazards of civilized life that can never be entirely eliminated. It is inherent in the use of fire. Automobiles, city gas, and the use of wood and other inflammable building materials in homes are also now essentials of civilization. But the hazard of carbon monoxide asphyxia which their use involves should be kept as low as practicable. Many of the fatalities from carbon monoxide now could be prevented. There is grave danger that during the next few years the number of these fatalities will be considerably increased. CONDITIONS PRODUCING CARBON MONOXIDE Whenever organic materials such as wood, coal, the various products of petroleum and other carbonaceous substances are burned, the combustion tends to take place in two stages. The first stage of the combustion produces the poisonous gas carbon monoxide (chemical symbol, CO). A second stage then produces the comparatively harmless gas