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been treated in different parts of the neighbourhood, although
diarrhœa has not prevailed epidemically.
Yours respectfully,
W. MURDOCH
August, 1858.
THIRTY-SECOND REPORT.
Gentlemen,
On a piece of ground situated at the southern end of Unii
place, Union-road, an operative cheniist, has erected a brl
shaft, about twenty-four feet in height, and commenced making
sulphuric acid. In the process of manufacture, after the ???
phuric acid has compounded itself from the two generating
gases in the chambers of the apparatus, there is a small quantity
of waste gas, binoxyde of nitrogen which escapes through
tube. The tube had been in this case carried by the manufacture
over a coke fire into the shaft. This, however, did not prevent
a certain quantity of binoxyde of nitrogen from passing under
composed into the atmosphere, where by absorption of oxygen
from the air, it immediately converted itself into the orange
coloured vapour of nitrous acid, which vapour diffusing itself
round about the factory, did injury to the vegetation, and occasioned
uneasy sensations in the air-passages of delicate person.
A notice was in consequence served on the 20th August. The
chemist immediately stopped his work and modified his ???
ratus, making the refuse gas pass first through wet lime, ???
through coke moistened with sulphuric acid, and finally into ???
fire under the boiler. So that if the apparatus be kept perfect
air-tight, no gas can find vent at all. I have repeatedly, at
hours of the day, both alone and with the inspector, visited ???
premises since the alteration has been made without being ???
to detect any offensive smell. The neighbours, however, ???
declarc the place to be a nuisance. I have, therefore, invite
them to send for the Inspector when the smell is actually in
annoyance to them. My object being to discharge my day
justly and impartially, unbiassed either by the statements
the manufacturer, or the clamour of the neighbourhood. I beg
to invite the attention of the Committee of the Western Division
to this factory.
Let me, however, add, that even in the best regulated chemist
works, stenches being apt to arise either from leakage
accident, it is undesirable that they should be established and
crowded localities.
A large quantity of damaged Grain, the salvage of one of the