The sulphuretted hydrogen and phosphine which
are found in acetylene as ordinarily prepared are such powerful toxic
agents that they would always, in cases of "acetylene" poisoning, be
largely instrumental in bringing about the effects observed. Acetylene
_per se_ would appear to have but a small toxic action; for the
principal toxic ingredient in coal-gas is carbon monoxide, which does not
occur in sensible quantity in acetylene as obtained from calcium carbide.
The colour of blood is changed by inhalation of acetylene to a bright
cherry-red, just as in cases of poisoning by carbon monoxide; but this is
due to a more dissolution of the gas in the haemoglobin of the blood, so
that there is much more hope of recovery for a subject of acetylene
poisoning than for one of coal-gas poisoning. Practically the risk of
poisoning by acetylene, after it has been purified by one of the ordinary
means, is _nil_. The toxic action of the impurities of crude
acetylene is discussed in Chapter V.
Acetylene is an "endothermic" compound, as has been mentioned in Chapter
II., where the meaning of the expression endothermic is explained. It has
there been indicated that by reason of its endothermic nature it is
unsafe to have acetylene at either a temperature of 780 deg.
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