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CARBON MONOXIDE GAS

INSIDIOUS AND DANGEROUS HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S WARNING The Department of Health wishes to draw attention to measures that should be taken, to prevent poisoning by the extremely dangerous gas known as carbon monoxide. Since carbon monoxide, as compared with other poisonous gases, is colourless, tasteless, ami practically odourless, its presence is not detected, and if the amount present in tho air is small its victim generally has no warning that ho is exposed to a dantrerous poison until it has a fleeted him to so great an extent that ho is unable to act. The attack of this gas is always insidious, giving no warning of its presence, but stealthily rendering its victim unconscious. The cas unites with the colouring matter of the blood and prevents it from giving up its oxygon to the tissues. . As a small amount of carbon monoxide in the air will produce fatal results, tho necessity for exercising care in tho use of illuminating gas is evident, for it is one of the chief dangerous gases which go to tho composition of coal gas. Another source of carbon monoxide is from the exhaust of motor cars. If, therefore, a motor car is run in an ill-ventilated or closed garage there may be an undue and dangerous accumulation of the gas with serious results to the individual present. Persons should not sleep on the floor of a closed car. as there is danger from the fumes of the exhaust, which may leak through the floor. In this respect systems of heating cars by apparatus through which the exhaust gases circulate need very careful installation and supervision, as when defective they are dangerous. GAS BURNING APPLIANCES. It is important that gas pipes and street mains should be tight, so that none of tho gas can leak into rooms and produce poisons. Gas jets should not be left burning ■where a gust of air may blow them out and let the gas escape into tho room. Every gas water heater and every gas stove should be connected to a chimnev flue or other vent, to the outside air in order that unhurnt gas may not collect in the room. Gas fittings should ho of the best and kept in food order. It should be understood that modern gas appliances, such ns ranges with closed tops, accomplish. ranch in preventing carbon monoxide poisoning. Furthermore, all gas appliances, including ranges, water heaters, and gas heating devices, will give satisfactory results, free from any hazard whatsoever, if they arc properly installed and properly operated. The use of gas appliances in our .modern civilisation is as essential as is the use of automobiles; and automobiles, because of careless operating, cause more accidental deaths than does carbon monoxide. The precautions, as outlined here, are issued in an effort to stimulate tho exercise of caution, lack of which is responsible for fatalities, EXHAUST FROM MOTOR ENGINES. Warnings relative to the danger involved in remaining in a closed garage while an automobile motor is running are issued regularly and often by fiealtb officers and safety officials. Nevertheless, death from c'U'hou monoxide poisoning, due to this cause, continues to occur in many countries. Most of such fatalities occur during the cold winter months when motors are started with greater difficulty and are permitted to idle in the garage while warming up. Tho average car in a closed garage of average size can, within a few minutes, give off a sufficient quantity of carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases to kill a human being. PREVENTIVE MEASURES. Preventive measures must ho adopted, such as adequate ventilation, especially in private garages: wide onening of doors and windows or use of installations allowing the exhaust "ases from every car in a garage to he carried direct to the outside; car engines should not he allowed to run when the doors of the garage are closed: all repair work on motor cars necessitating a prone position should he avoided when the engine is running. When using a car see that adequate ventilation is provided, ns in tho best-appointed cars there may. he a slight escape of carbon monoxide gas into the car. TREATMENT. The poisoning effects of this gas are duo to its being easily absorbed by the blood, where it seriously reduces the capacity of tho blood to transport oxygen. Tho first es-entials of treatment are, therefore, tho removal from the poisonous atmosphere into pure air. and the avoidance of any exertion which would increase the requirements of oxygen. A gassed ” person should not ho exposed to the cold. Oxygeif should ho administered under medical supervision. Tf the breathing threatens to fail, artificial respiration should ho employed as in the ease of drowning.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19361002.2.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 1

Word count
Tapeke kupu
785

CARBON MONOXIDE GAS Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 1

CARBON MONOXIDE GAS Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 1

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