DANGEROUS KEROSENE.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 204, 7 June 1878, Page 7

DANGEROUS KEROSENE.

The publication made. recently of Dr Hector's report on the kerosene sent to him to be tested created a regular panic in Wellington. Severalpeople on reading it promptly extinguished, their kerosene lamps as carefully .as : possible, ? and stowed them away in their . outhouses.' Even those who ventured to keep their, lamps alight watched them furtively with quaking hearts, and started violently at the least flicker, believing that their hour had come. For the benefitofour — not unreasonably—-panic-stricken readers, we. may explain that it is within their power to test their kerosene in a very simple way. A little of the oil should be poured into a small tin or iron cup, a common thermometer dipped into the fluid, and gentle heat applied below by means of a lighted candle. As the thermometer rises, a lighted match should be held just above the surface of the kerosene. If the" vapour flash and catch fire before the mercury in tho thermometer has risen to llOdeg., then the kerosene is highly dangerous, and should be got rid of at once. If, however, the thermometer has risen above llOdeg. before the vapour flashes when a light is held above the oil, then it may be deemed quite safe. Of course the point is to ascertain the lowest temperature at which the vapour will thus ignite. The lower the temperature the more dangerous the oil. If it give off inflammable vapour at a temperature of lOOdeg. or less, then it should be regarded as more dangerous than gunpowder, being equally explosive, while far more insidious and terrible in its effects.