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Monday, November 4, 2024

Gasoline Additive Kills Standard Oil Scientists, Nov. 5, 1924

Bars All Sales of “Looney Gas”. . . Fifth of 33 Persons Affected at New York Laboratories Dead

Gasoline containing tetraethyl, the mysterious “looney gas” compound, no longer may be sold in New York City. The board of health adopted a resolution prohibiting its sale after the death of the fifth of the 33 persons affected by the fumes while experimenting with the mixture in the Bayway, N.J. laboratories of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey.

The health board also made it a misdemeanor for anyone to use the gasoline in motors in the city. In addition, the officials authorized Health Commissioner Monaghan to make a thorough investigation of the elements in the mysterious death-dealing gas and seek a mode of effective treatment for its victims.

Herbert Fuson, 29, of Elizabeth, N.J., was the fifth man to succumb to the gas poisoning, which has made its victims insane. He died at Reconstruction hospital, confine din a straight-jacket, a few hours after the corps of Standard Oil physicians and scientists seeking a successful treatment of the baffling malady had announced their quest successful.

A few hours after Fuson’s death 11 more gas-crazed men were taken to the hospital. This brought the total of those affected to 33 out of the 45 who were employed in the laboratories, experimenting with a mixture of tetra-ethyl and gasoline in an effort to add power to the fuel and eliminate knocks in motor car engines.

Dr. Maximin Trouart, in charge of the victims, was credited with the discovery of the mode of treatment to counteract the effects of the “looney-gas.”

The discovery which was said to involve the injection of hypo-sulphite of soda into the veins of the sufferers.

Dr. Trouart insisted that his discovery was a treatment, not a cure, but he believes there would be no further deaths from the poison.

From page 2 of The North Wilkesboro Hustler, Nov. 5, 1924

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92072938/1924-11-05/ed-1/seq-2/#words=November+5%2C+1924

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