Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Sometimes you bite the fulminate and sometimes the fulminate bites you. Howard 1800

Sometimes you bite the fulminate and sometimes the fulminate bites you. Howard 1800

The WiZard is In - 8-4-2010 at 10:07

HOWARD'S DISCOVERY OF FULMINATE OF MERCURY (1800) [In part]

THE mercurial preparations which, when mixed with sulphur, fulminate on gradually exposing to a gentle heat were discovered by Bayen at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1800, Edward Howard communicated to the Royal Society a paper [Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. (1800), 204-238.] "On a New Fulminating Mercury." after quoting the work of Bayen he states that mercury and most, if not all of its oxides, may, by treatment with nitric acid and alcohol, be converted into a whitish crystallized powder possessing all the inflammable properties of gunpowder as well as many peculiar to itself. He was led to this discovery by the assertion that hydrogen was the basis of muriatic acid. It induced him to attempt to combine different substances with hydrogen and oxygen.

With this view he mixed such substances with alcohol and nitric acid, as he thought might, by predisposing affinity, favour, as well as attract an acid combination of the hydrogen of the one to the oxygen of the other. The pure red oxide of mercury appeared suitable for this purpose. It was, therefore, intermixed with alcohol, and upon both nitric acid was affused. The acid did not act upon the alcohol so immediately as when these fluids are alone mixed together, but first gradually dissolved the oxide. After some minutes had elapsed a smell of ether was perceptible and a white dense smoke was emitted with ebullition. A dark-coloured precipitate was thrown down which, by degrees, became nearly white. The precipitate was separated by filtration aid consisted of small acicular crystals having a saline taste. Finding that a part of the mercury was volatilized in the white fumes, Howard states that he was not altogether without hope that muriatic acid had been formed, and united to the oxide of mercury. He, therefore,
for obvious reasons, poured sulphuric acid upon the dry crystalline mass. A violent effervescence ensued, and, to his great astonishment, an explosion took place. The singularity of this explosion induced him to repeat the process several times, and,
finding that he always obtained the same kind of powder, he prepared a considerable quantity of it. .....

..... He once poured six drams of concentrated sulphuric acid on fifty grains of fulminate. An explosion took place, almost at the instant of contact. He states that lie was wounded severely and most of his apparatus was destroyed, and then adds, "I must confess I feel more disposed to prosecute other chemical subjects." The following account is given by Howard of experimets which he carried out......

..... A gunpowder proof barrel holding eleven grains of fine gunpowder was filled with fulminate, and fired with a flint and steel. The report was sharp but not loud. The person who held the proof barrel in his hand felt no recoil, but the explosion laid open the upper part of the barrel nearly from touch-hole to muzzle, and struck off the hand of the register. A gun holding 68 grains of gunpowder was charged with 34 grains of fulminate and fired from the shoulder. The breech was torn open, the touch-hole driven out and the barrel split.......

HISTORICAL PAPERS ON MODERN EXPLOSIVES
George W. MacDonald, M.Sc. (Melb.)
(Head Of Research, Messrs Curtis's & Harvey, Ltd.
Former 1851 Exhibition Scholar, The University Of Melbourne.)
With An Introduction By
Sir Andrew Noble, Bart., K.C.B., F.R.S.
Whittaker & Co.,
2 White Hart Street, Paternoster Square. London, E.C.
And 64-66 Fifth Avenue, New York.
1912

Can be had at Google.com/books

Some times you bite the fulminate, and som time the fulminate bites you — Hudson Maxim

The WiZard is In - 9-4-2010 at 06:51

THE FORGOTTEN BIT OF FULMINATE

IN experimenting with high explosives and in their
manufacture, a little absent-mindedness, a very
slight lack of exact caution, a seemingly insignificant
inadvertence for a moment, may cost one limb or
his life. The incident that cost me my left hand is
a case in point.

On the day preceding that accident, I had a gold
cap put on a tooth. In consequence, the tooth
ached and kept me awake the grater part of the
night. Next morning I rose early and went down
to my factory at Maxim, New Jersey. In order to test
the dryness of some fulminate compound I took
a little piece of it, about the size of an English penny,
broke off a small particle, placed it on a stand
outside the laboratory, and, lighting a match, touched
it off. Owing to my loss of sleep the night before, my
mind was not so alert as usual, and I forgot to lay
aside the remaining piece of fulminate compound,
but, instead, held it in my left hand. A spark from
the ignited piece entered my left hand between my
fingers, igniting the piece there, with the result that
my hand was blown off to the wrist, and the next
thing I saw was the bare end of the wrist bone. My
face and clothes were bespattered with flesh and filled
with slivers of bone. . . . The following day, my thumb
was found on the top of a building a couple of hundred
feet away, with a sinew attached to it, which had
been pulled out from the elbow.

A tourniquet was immediately tightened around
my wrist to prevent the flow of blood, and I and
two of my assistants walked half a mile down to
the railroad, where we tried to stop an upgoing
train with a red flag. But it ran the flag down
and went on, the engineering thinking, perhaps,
from our wild gesticulations that we were highwaymen.

We then walked another half-mile to a farmhouse,
where a horse and wagon were procured. Thence
I was driven to Farmingdale, four and a half miles
distant, where I had to wait two hours for the next
train to New York.

The only physician in the town was an invalid, ill with
tuberculosis. I called on him while waiting, and condoled
with him, as he was much worse off then was I.

On arrival in New York, I was taken in a carriage
to the elevated station at the Brooklyn Bridge.
On reaching my station at Eighty-fourth Street,
I walked four blocks, and then up four flights of
stairs to my apartments on Eighty-second
street, where the surgeon was awaiting me.
It was now evening, and the accident has occurred
at half-past ten o'clock in the morning. That was
a pretty hard day!

As I had no electric lights in the apartments, only gas,
the surgeon declared that it would be dangerous to
administer ether, and the must, therefore, chloroform
me. He added that there was no danger in using
chloroform, if the patient had a strong heart. Thereupon
I asked him to examine my heart, since, if there should
be the least danger of my dying under the influence of the
anesthetic, I wanted to make my will.

"Heart!" exclaimed the surgeon, with emphasis.
"A man who has gone through what you have gone
through today hasn't any heart!" The next day I
dictated letters to answer my correspondence as
usual. The young woman stenographer, who took
my dictation, remarked with a sardonic smile:

"You, too, have now become a shorthanded writer."
The grim jest appealed to my sense of humor.

On the third day I was genuinely ill and had no
wish to do business. Within ten days, however,
I was out again, attending to my affairs.

Hudson Maxim Dynamite Stories 1916

There are a lot of books about explosives —
there is only one funny one. Hudson Maxims
Dynamite Stories. You can purchase a
a reprise of it from :— http://www.fireworksnews.com/

Sometimes you bit the fulminate, sometimes the fulminate bites you. Eley 1828

The WiZard is In - 10-4-2010 at 06:28

Eley Brothers, Limited, London

By 1828 the demand for these accessories gave promise of opening an almost
unlimited field for inventive ingenuity. William Eley, the founder of the present
firm was early attracted to this interesting branch, and literally devoted his life
and fortune to mechanical inventions. To him is attributed the once-famous wire
cartridge, which by delaying the dispersion of the pellets, effected the same
purpose in the guns of the period as in now produced by choke-boring. At the
age of forty-seven he fell victim to a disastrous explosion of fulminate of mercury
which simultaneously destroyed him, his laboratory, and its contents. The
business initiated by Mr. William Eley was continued by his three sons under the
style, Eley Brothers, until 1874, when it was converted into a joint stock
enterprise, with limited liability.

The Rise and Progress of the British Explosives Industry
Published under the auspices of the:—
VIIth International Congress of Applied Chemistry
E A Brayley Hodgetts editor
Whittaker and Co. London 1909ley 1828

Explosions in chemical laboratories

The WiZard is In - 11-4-2010 at 06:59

Notes and queries : A Medium of Intercommunication For Literary Men, General
Readers, Etc.
Fifth Series.—Volume Seventh,
JANUARY—JUNE 1877.
London

HENRY HENNELL, 1842.—Men of science were much shocked in London on the 4th of
June, 1842, by the report that Henry Hennell, F.R.S., the talented and much respected
chemical operator at Apothecaries' Hall, had been literally blown to pieces that
morning by an explosion of fulminating mercury. He was mixing in a china bowl
several portions of the powder, so as to render the whole, which was required for a
large military order, [Reported elsewhere as weighing 6 pounds.] of a uniform colour,
when the contents of the basin exploded, and he was instantly killed. At the inquest,
which was held on the 6th of June, it was stated that all the upper part of Mr.
Hennell's body was shattered, and the fragments cast to a distance. One arm was
found on the roof of the Apothecaries' Hall, and a finger was picked up in Union
Street, more than a hundred yards distant. It has recently come to my knowledge that
in the year 1859, that is, seventeen years after this sad accident, when some repairs
were made to the roof of No. 3, Crescent, Blackfriars—which was then in the
occupation of the Eagle Insurance Company, and was shortly afterwards swept away
to make room for the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway —there was found in one
of the leaden gutters a human arm, or rather the bones of one, which had violently
been there many years. From the few acts which I have been able to gather, I think it
very probable that these bones were part of the remains of the lamented Mr. Hennell
; and if this were so, we have a yet further evidence of the terrific force of the
explosion which killed him, as the place where the bones were found was about 130
yards distant from, and nearly forty feet above the level of, the site of the explosion.
EDWARD SOLLY.

[Edited on 13-4-10 by The_Davster]

a_bab - 11-4-2010 at 08:09

Although your threads are interesting you could have posted this together with the other story about MF. It could have been posted in references too. There's a thread for MF too, where these would better fit.

Heck, I really can't understand why do you have to clutter this forum.

Somebody please stop him.

The_Davster - 11-4-2010 at 10:22

Congratulations! you have a book containing interesting material! Good for you!

Now search the damn forum and post these tidbits in a relevant thread, and not start these useless little threads or such posts will be purged.

The WiZard is In - 11-4-2010 at 11:34

Quote: Originally posted by The_Davster

Congratulations! you have a book containing interesting material! Good for you!

Now search the damn forum and post these tidbits in a relevant thread, and not start these useless little threads or such posts will be purged.

My apologies. I didn't realize this group was run by spoiled
9-year old's. The smiles should have have bought it to my
attention.

I have a suggestion - start a group where you are the only
person allowed to post to it. That way you will only find
what you want to read in the format you desire.

If you prefer no posts on your site .... I can handle that.

Oh by da I consider your post to the board as totally
unnecessary noise, an adult would have contacted me
directly. And byda "a-bas's" reply is sexist.

chemrox - 11-4-2010 at 22:56

I thought the reactions to the post were excessive. After all no one has to read his little book reports but what the hell was this?

"Oh by da I consider your post to the board as totally
unnecessary noise, an adult would have contacted me
directly. And byda "a-bas's" reply is sexist."

Sounds like a crude attempt at ebonics. By the way Wiz, if you want to call someone sexist you might want to find out if he gives a shit.

12AX7 - 12-4-2010 at 01:39

I thought it was a remarkable story, and I probably would've never seen it, were it posted in some monster thread that I have little overall interest in. Thank you!

Tim

hissingnoise - 12-4-2010 at 03:54

I second that - I can't see why the WiZard's way of posting should bother anyone. . .
They're too interesting for that!

Explosions in Chemical Laboatories

The WiZard is In - 12-4-2010 at 06:30

Abstracted from :—

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
NEW SERIES, VOL. XV.
NOVEMBER 9, 1928
[Google.com/books]

ART. LV.-ON EXPLOSIONS IN CHEMICAL LABORATORIES. By DR. A. BUCHNER.

In the laboratory of Professor Trommsdorff, four dangerous explosions took place in the
course of a few years. The one happened with the purple of Cassius. The precipitate of gold
had been collected on a small filter, washed, and placed on a stand near the heated parlor-
stove, where it remained for some weeks. Mr. Trommsdorff then introduced the precipitate
into a small glass-bottle, and was closing it with a glass-stopper, when the bottle was blown
to atoms in his hand. This explosion may be explained by the circumstance that close to the
purple precipitate several other preparations had been dried and preserved, by which
probably ammo- niacal gas had been developed, so that gradually fulminating gold was
formed.

The second explosion was caused by detonating silver, of which about two drachms had
been prepared, and after drying taken from the filter and placed on a sheet of glazed paper,
with the intention of introducing it from the latter into a bottle ; it had been removed with
the greatest care from the filter, so that nothing could adhere to the paper. In order to see
whether the filter would detonate, Mr. Trommsdorff threw it into a wind-furnace, which
contained red-hot coals, and stood about four or five paces from the table on which the
detonating silver was lying. Unfortunately the detonation in the furnace was so violent, and
caused so strong a vibration of the air, that the silver on the table simultaneously exploded,
and caused considerable damage. The experimenters remained for some time quite deaf,
and the explosion caused great alarm throughout the whole town.

The fatal accident which happened in 1842, at Apothecaries Hall, London, and by which
the much lamented operator, Mr. Hennel, lost his life, must be yet fresh in the memory of
our readers.

On another occasion, some melted copper was poured into a crucible, when immediately
the fused metal was thrown up with great violence over the heads of the bystanders to the
ceiling. The operator had cleansed the crucible, but not sufficiently wiped it, so that
probably a few drops of water might have remained at the bottom, and these were
converted into steam as soon as the glowing metal came in contact with them.

The fourth and more violent explosion occurred during the distillation of phosphorus, in
consequence of an incautious experiment. When the development of the combustible gas
and the distillation were in full operation, Mr. Trommsdorff was about showing to his pupils
that the gas was combustible; for this purpose, he approached a lighted match to the
receiver, which contained water, but at the same moment the iron cupola, with which the
furnace was covered, together with the fire pipe, were blown off with a loud report, and
much damage was done to the apparatus. The probable cause of this explosion, was, that
over the surface of the water in the receiver, atmospheric air was contained, which had
mixed with the phosphuretted hydrogen, and formed an explosive mixture.

That very fatal explosions often take place in operations with nitre, is well known, and
easily explained ; but only one case has occurred in a pharmaceutical laboratory. A
pharmaceutist had to make Antimonium diaphoreticum, and for this purpose put a crucible in
a furnace, between red-hot coals, and then gradually introduced a mixture of powdered
sulphuret of anttmony and nitre, without waiting for the deflagration, which did not
immediately occur, as the crucible had not become hot. When all the powder had been
introduced, an explosion took place, by which he was dreadfully wounded.

Chlorate of potash is far more dangerous than nitre. The accident which happened in
1817, in Munich, in consequence of the incautious treatment of a mixture of chlorate of
potash, sulphur, sugar, and cinnabar for lucifer matches, will be remembered by many:
(Repert.fur der Pharm. ni, 119-126.) In fusing chlorate of potash for the evolution of oxygen
and the production of perchlorate of potash, the greatest care is required to prevent any
combustible matter coming in contact with it. This is proved by the following case. An
apothecary intending to develop oxygen from chlorate of potash, employed a tubulated
retort, the tubulure of which was closed with a cork. When the salt had fused and gas was
escaping, an explosion took place, which fortunately did not injure the experimenter. It is
probable that a piece of the cork, which had begun to be charred, had fallen into the fused
salt.

Explosions in experiments with Marsh's apparatus, when the jet of gas is ignited before all
the atmospheric air is expelled, have also occurred. It is necessary to observe, that on all
occasions, when it is intended to ignite the evolved hydrogen gas, care must be taken to
allow sufficient time to elapse for all the atmospheric air to be expelled from the apparatus,
or at least that so little may be left, that the mixture be incapable of exploding.

Explosions in operations with cyanide of potassium and ferricyanide of potassium are
rare, and the following, therefore, are worthy of notice :— A chemist had prepared cyanide of
potassium by Liebig's method, but as the latter portions of it were bluish grey, and showed
several spots containing iron, he attempted to purify a small portion by fusion. A violent
explosion ensued, and the crucible was blown to atoms. The contents of the crucible were so
entirely scattered, that the collected residue did not suffice to discover by a chemical
examination, the cause of this unexpected phenomenon.

Dr. Eisner has described the following explosion, that occurred in preparing ferricyanide of
potassium. Chlorine gas had been passed into a rather large quantity of aqueous solution of
the ferrocyanide of potassium. The gas was developed from common salt, sulphuric acid,
and the oxide of manganese, in cast-iron vessels. In the course of the operation it was
discovered that after some time a large quantity of muriatic acid was developed, in
consequence of which the mixture was set aside and replaced by a fresh one. In the vessels
in which the gas had been developed a brownish red, hard, stone-like mass was contained.
This, upon examination, was found to contain chloride of iron and some undecomposed
oxide of manganese, which, as it appears, had escaped the action of the muriatic acid.
Chlorine gas having again been passed for several hours from the fresh mixture into the
solution of ferrocyanide, the latter was left standing in a wooden tub. Suddenly, and without
perceptible external cause, a violent explosion took place in the premises where the
operation had been performed, the whole building shook, and the windows and doors were
partly torn off their hinges. The wooden tub, which contained the solution of ferrocyanide of
potassium, and whose staves were an inch thick, was blown to pieces and parts of it thrown
up the chimney.

The cause of this remarkable explosion, was undoubtedly the formation and
decomposition of chloride of nitrogen. By the action of the free hydrochloric acid on the
ferrocyanide of potassium, it is probable that cyanuretted hydrogen and some ammonia,
and consequently sal ammoniac, had been developed. Now it is well known, that by the
action of chlorine on sal ammoniac, there is formed chloride of nitrogen, which explodes
with great violence when it is brought in contact with certain organic substances. Dobreiner
long ago mentioned that chloride of nitrogen was formed when chlorine gas was conveyed
into a solution of the ammoniacal chloride of zinc.
—Pharmaceutical Journal from Buchner's Repertorium.

a_bab - 12-4-2010 at 10:13

Will you please stop posting irrelevant threads and clutter this forum? Better get a life really. Or post these elsewhere in the references, in a single thread called "Misc explosives accidents from out of copyright sources".

hissingnoise - 12-4-2010 at 10:29

While I don't myself, find it irrelevant I think it would have been more appropriate here. . .
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13466

chief - 12-4-2010 at 12:01

I find it interesting ; will someone please stop the Gestapo that calls each other thread either "irrelevant" or "whimsy" ?

franklyn - 12-4-2010 at 12:54

Interest like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Informing or sharing ideas is valid.
It is more properly a moderators job , advising on the accepted protocal of this forum.

@ The WiZard is In
Before you get mail on this , objection has been raised to your opening multiple threads
on closely related anecdotes. For example , these here could all well have been posted
into the same thread ,

- Explosions in Chemical Laboatories
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13632
- The Chemistry of Anarchy a humorous story from 1894
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13618
- Sometimes you bit the fulminate, sometimes the fulminate bites you. Eley 1828
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13622
- Some times you bite the fulminate, and som time the fulminate bites you — Hudson Maxim
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13614
- Sometimes you bite the fulminate and sometimes the fulminate bites you. Howard 1800
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13610

even without starting a new thread of it's own since there was already this
recent prior thread ,

- Safety with energetic materials
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13466

It is advantages to post in existing threads to be better able to find information on
particular subjects. It also reduces the forum clutter from obscure orphan threads
that do not evoke subsequent responses and have the same practical utility of spam.

I always do a cursory search first to choose a close fitting thread which is on
topic then insert links to the other related threads that may have relevance.
You will generate more light and much less heat this way.

.

a_bab - 12-4-2010 at 14:09

I never said that these accounts are not interesting, nor do I consider them irrelevant IF posted properly. I read them all, and can't wait to stumble upon the Hudson Maxim's book for instance.

These accounts are irrelevant as Franklin said by having them posted in multiple threads. It's frustrating to open this forum only to see some 5 recent threads, than SHOULD have been posted togeter.

I understand the new member has something to contribute with, and as I said I find these stories very interesting (the anarchy one can be made in a play with great success, especially if preserving the 19'th century language). But it would be more appropiate to stop the "exploded" posting.

But who am I to say this...

Rosco Bodine - 12-4-2010 at 15:03

All this stuff looks a lot like maybe a bunch of recycled posts by Donald J Haarmann which are copy and paste old material from alt.engr.explosives
and probably for the most part should be put into miscellaneous, when
such imported duplicate material is not really pertinent to a specific topic here.
Otherwise this topic section will be sandbagged by rampant new postings
of old material gleaned and imported from the newsgroup where the same
material is already posted.

The WiZard is In - 12-4-2010 at 15:49

Quote: Originally posted by Rosco Bodine

All this stuff looks a lot like maybe a bunch of recycled posts by Donald J Haarmann which are copy and paste old material from alt.engr.explosives
and probably for the most part should be put into miscellaneous, when
such imported duplicate material is not really pertinent to a specific topic here.
Otherwise this topic section will be sandbagged by rampant new postings
of old material gleaned and imported from the newsgroup where the same
material is already posted.

---------
Hummm... I DJH do not remember previously posting any of these
to alt.engr.explosives. And if they had been would this make them
toxic?

"such imported duplicate material is not really pertinent to a specific topic here.
" Forsooth! top of my screen it sez ....
Energetic Materials what does it say atop yours?

of old material gleaned and imported from the newsgroup where the same
material is already posted If its new to the reader .... its new.

Stop me if you have heard this before ....

30-Minutes in the library can save 30-days in the lab.

A simple solution to your problem... don't read my
posts.

a_bab - 12-4-2010 at 15:54

At least put the old accounts in the same thread.

You either have no experience about forums, or you're deaf.

chemoleo - 12-4-2010 at 16:35

To the Wizard is In,

don't you think this has gone on for long enough?

Energetic materials does not imply countless anecdotes on past mishaps in multiple threads- and even if you feel like posting them, then at least in the same thread.

Looks like you are taking the piss here by engaging in childish arguments - and I dearly advise you to stop it.

Post your anecdotes in one and the same thread, and be done with it.

The_Davster - 13-4-2010 at 10:36

Threads are now merged. Any more accidental explosion type stories you feel like posting must be done here.

The WiZard is In - 13-4-2010 at 13:06

Quote: Originally posted by The_Davster

Threads are now merged. Any more accidental explosion type stories you feel like posting must be done here.

Well you (da moderators) stated this soooo....

The silliness has increased here, the smiley faces and moods were bad enough. Don't ever remember seeing them
in Nature, Science, Propellants Explosives and Pyrotechnics ,
Combustion and Flame, &c., &c., &c.

Now I have to post a retrieve 'bout The art and science of amateur experimentation dealing with Energetic materials
under miscellaneous were its safety message will hardly ever
be read.

You must work for the government, as you(s) think that making
you product hard to use is a good business model.

djh
----------
The explosion removed the windows,
the door and most of the chimney.
It was the sort of thing you expected in
the Street of Alchemists. The neighbours
preferred explosions, which were at least
identifiable and soon over. They were better
than the smells, which crept up on you.
Terry Pratchett

UnintentionalChaos - 13-4-2010 at 19:48

Quote: Originally posted by The WiZard is In

Hummm... I DJH do not remember previously posting any of these
to alt.engr.explosives. And if they had been would this make them
toxic?

I don't know anything about alt.engr.explosives, but I'm assuming that you claiming to be that user makes you a flaming turd (possibly regardless of whether or not you are in fact him).

Furthermore, postin' in a troll thread.

[Edited on 4-14-10 by UnintentionalChaos]

franklyn - 13-4-2010 at 20:56

@The WiZard is In

I think you won't find a more tolerant group anywhere. The ambience here
is much as an open bar and everyone is welcome. If however you take the
all you can drink and eat premise to mean that you can back up a van to
the front door and load up all the booze and food trays , you have another
thing coming. Try that in a biker bar and your head will get danced on.

The qualifications for posting in the Energetics Materials category
are stated underneath the title on the home page.
" Discuss the theory, preparation, and initiation of energetic materials "

We already know explosives do great violence blowing up.
Historical relevance is admissible if particular reference to material properties
and behavior is the focus. Such as _
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13187

I had pointed out to you here _
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13610#...
" Before you get mail on this "
" without starting a new thread of it's own since there was already this
recent prior thread "
" Safety with energetic materials "
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13466

Quote: Originally posted by The WiZard is In

Now I have to post a retrieve ' bout The art and science of amateur experimentation
dealing with Energetic materials under miscellaneous were its safety message will hardly ever
be read.

You said so yourself here " A simple solution to your problem... don't read my posts."
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13610#...

Well by default you made the choice.

.

The WiZard is In - 15-4-2010 at 14:00

Quote: Originally posted by UnintentionalChaos

I detect a disturbance in the force here in Sciencemadness.

An ad hominem attack!
[You can have your mother look it up in the dictionary for you.]

Like a cop you can never find a moderator when you need one.

hissingnoise - 15-4-2010 at 14:24

I detect a bit of ego-waving. . .
Why all this overreaction?

[Edited on 16-4-2010 by hissingnoise]

watson.fawkes - 16-4-2010 at 05:36

Quote: Originally posted by The WiZard is In

An ad hominem attack!
[You can have your mother look it up in the dictionary for you.]

Like a cop you can never find a moderator when you need one.

An ad hominem attack is only a fallacy when discussing the truth or falsity of a proposition. They were discussing your behavior, not some proposition about it.

It's presumptuous to imply that a moderator should jump to your defense when moderators have already intervened to ameliorate your behavior.

detonation and the damsel

The WiZard is In - 17-4-2010 at 10:31

A chapter of this kind, bristling with frisky compounds, may well end with a
striking story, and this narrative is literally striking as well as-being true.

Once upon a time, now many years ago, a worthy Professor of Chemistry was
lecturing in an Australian university. His subject was mercury fulminate. It was a
very hot and humid day in November; his lecture theatre was filled to capacity
with a hundred and seventy frisky young Australians, and it had a galvanised
iron roof upon which the sun shone from a cloudless sky. Through the windows
came incespritly the vibratory shrilling of-the cicadas, or "bush canaries", mingled
with the odour of sunbeaten eucalyptus leaves.

Now in this audience the young ladies sat in the front seats, immediately facing
the lecture bench, and upon this torrid day of early summer one of them in
particular was feeling the heat and humidity. As the lecturer wended
remorselessly onwards, after the manner of professors immersed in their
subjects, the distressed damsel became increasingly aware of the
oppressiveness of her environment. At last the Professor warmed to his climax a
long-anticipated experiment on the detonation of mercury fulminate.

"You will observe on the anvil," came the familiar and, untiring voice, "a
specimen - a very small specimen-of this most powerful explosive, mercury
fulminate. I am now about to strike it with a hammer. I invite you all, ladies and
gentlemen, to pay attention to the result, and to recall in so doing what I have
told you about the activating effects of the detonation wave which I regret I
cannot demonstrate to you as well."

The hammer fell.

The Professor had been too modest in his closing words. The experiment
succeeded beyond his expectations. For when the hammer fell, the fulminate
detonated with a loud report, and simultaneously the aforesaid damsel, seated in
close proximity to the centre of disturbance, swooned away, after the manner of
agitated young ladies.

The Professor, jerked out of his wonted self-possession by this unwanted
response to the detonation wave, unwisely called for volunteers to carry the fair
victim of detonative aggression out of the crowded room.

The Australians are a gallant race. The response was all that could have been
expected, even in this Queen City of the South; for the eager class volunteered
en masse, headed by the brawny captain of the University Rugby Football XV,
the gigantic and lion-hearted Jumbo Woods. Having successfully removed the
fainting lady, the class "called it a day".

On the following morning the Professor met his class again. There was a full
attendance, including the heroine of the detonation wave. To the surprise of the
class, the anvil still reposed on the lecture bench, and the Professor opened his
lecture, by taking up the hammer.

"It occurs to me, ladies and gentlemen," he began, "that owing to an
unfortunate incident at the close of our last lecture you may not have grasped
the full significance of the detonation of mercury fulminate. I am therefore about
to repeat the experiment. But before I do so, I now afford anyone suffering from
weak nerves an opportunity of leaving the room."

The Professor paused, with the uplifted hammer in his hand, and gazed
pointedly at the innocent cause of yesterday's interrupted lecture. She, however,
was feeling quite at her ease: a "southerly buster" had come up the coast in the
afternoon, and the room was fresh and cool. So the damsel sat on demurely,
pencil poised above note-book, and did not budge.

But to his misfortune, the Professor's words, unlike his glance, were not
specific; and while he waited expectantly, with his eyes fixed upon the static
lassie, a dynamic figure arose in the back row, descended the sloping gangway
with thunderous tread, and stalked solemnly out through the open doorway in full
view of the spellbound Professor and his momentarily dumbfounded class. And,
lo, the departing figure was the figure of that mighty man of valour and hero of a
hundred stricken fields-the lion-hearted Jumbo Woods.

John Read
Explosives
Pelican Books London 1942
Chapter XI
Explosives That Excite Others [in part]

FOR THE FORCES
Leave this book at a Post Office when you
have read it, so that the men and women in the Services may enjoy it too.