Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1882 — The Dangers Of Ignorance. [ARTICLE]

The Dangers Of Ignorance.

One oanaot judge from the brief aooounts given what are the precise causes of suoh disasters, but there is reason to belive that ignorance is prolific; that many persona liave only a vauge knowledge of the qualities of nitro-glycerine, cannot reoognize it when they see it, and are not acquainted with the various forms in which it is compounded, or with the peculiar dangers of handling it carelessly. Nitro-glycerine itself is a dense, yellowish liquid, but in order to diminish. the danger attending its use, fine earth, ground mica, sawdust, or some similar powder, is saturated with it, and thus the various blasting powders known as dynamite, mica powder, dualin, rendrock, etc., are formed. These compounds can be transported with comparative safety. But the nitro-glyoerine easily drains off from the powder and oozes from any crevice in tne vessel in whioh the compound is kept. Drops of it thus bedewing the edges of a box may easily be mistaken for oil escaping, and if workmen ignorantly endeavor to nail the box tighter or to open it for examination there will be a disastrous explosion. Several have occurred in past years in this way. The viotims knew, no doubt, that nitro-glyoerine (or the compounds) may bp exploded by a blow (contaot with fire is not needfyl), but they did not suspect that the wnooent-looking oil •was nitro-glyoerine. Why should not youth be taught in the schools somewhat of the practical dangers of these subetanoes whioh are coming into suoh common use? They would pursue the study with interest, especially if there were judicious experiments. A Missouri story is that a teacher confiscated a small metal box whioh a pupil was playing with in school hours, and, thinking it contained ohewing gum, tried to break it open with a hammer. It was a dynamite torpedo of the kind used on the railroaa track as a danger signal, and large bits of it had to be out out of the lady's cheek. Would it not have been well if she had known somewhat of the aspect of torpedoes? Was it not more important to the journeyman plumber who threw the lighted match into the can of oamphene, mistaking it for water, by whioh the great printing establishment of Franklin Square was burned some twenty-eight years ago, to know c&mpheno by sight than to have memorized many of the matters prominent in a pnblio school course? Surely workmen, especially “raw hands” in establishments where these things are used, should be systematically instructed in advance, and the courts ore now enforcing this prim oiple.