Document gaKk6K137Ye4VD1nkq2ExDx1q

other chemicals should be stored there In the general handling of chlorates, con tact of these compounds with mineral acids so as to produce anhydrous chloric acid should be prevented It is likely to be spontaneously explosive, as well as highly sensitive to con tact with reducing agents Sodium cyanide is a white, slightly hy groscopic solid with a reaction sufficiently alkaline to produce a severe dermatitis when the skin is exposed to its dust or its solutions Cyanide poisoning in industry is not com mon When it does occur, it is usually the re sult of inhalation of hydrogen cyanide gas, used as a fumigant or produced by contact of one of the metallic cyanides with acid, includ ing carbon dioxide gas and moisture from the atmosphere See Hydrogen cyanide. The simple metallic cyanides are all ex tremely toxic if swallowed For sodium cyanide, the lethal dose is about 9 mg per kg of body weight or about 0 019 oz for a man Some authorities state that cyanide can be absorbed into the system through the skin or through the lesions of the toxic burn which it produces This is not, however, a common method of industrial poisoning Cyanide prevents oxygen exchange between the tissues and the blood The symptoms of poisoning are dizziness, headache, a feeling of oppression m the chest, dryness and irrita tion of the throat, palpitation of the heart, difficult breathing and sometimes vomiting, followed by loss of consciousness and convul sions A lethal dose produces rapid death and therefore can be counteracted only by im mediate first aid A most effective single first aid measure for this type of internal asphyxia is the supplying of oxygen or oxygen-carbon dioxide mixture for breathing The person administering first aid should also 1 Send for a doctor at once 2 Remove the victim to fresh air, without ex posing the rescuer to poisoning 3 Remove clothing which may contain hydro gen cyanide and wrap the victim m blankets or otherwise keep him warm 4 If breathing has stopped, apply artificial respiration 5 Supply oxygen or oxygen-carbon dioxide mixture for inhalation 6 Permit inhalation of the contents of an ampule of amyl mtnte, repeat after 15 minutes 7 If the victim has swallowed a cyanide com pound and is conscious, induce vomiting by giving him a large quantity of tepid water containing an emetic Never try to induce vomiting tn an unconscious person First aid supplies, as specified by the physi cian m charge, should be m readiness in all plants where cyanides are used Cyanides should be stored and used so that they will not come into contact with acids or be exposed to the air Where cyanides are used in bulk, men should not be permitted to work alone in an area with an open container The layout should provide for ready re moval of deposits of dust from the structure and equipment Dust and vapor incidental to the process should be removed at the source as completely as possible Local exhaust equipment for this purpose should be de signed with special attention to accessibility for cleaning, since hydrolysis of alkali cyanides leaves a deposit of alkali carbonates which form a sticky, tenacious coating on the equip ment Employees who handle cyanides should be provided with protective clothing which will prevent skin contact with the solid or solu tion, and appropriate respirators, either canmster or supplied atmosphere, should be pro vided for emergency use Sodium dichromate--see Chromic acid. Sodium hydroxide--see Potassium hydrox ide. Stibine (antimony hydnde) is a toxic gas produced by the generation of hydrogen m the presence of elemental antimony Charging of storage batteries of the lead-acid type produces stibine from the antimony which is in the lead grids as a hardening alloy This occurs mostly as the battery is overcharged and in increasing amounts as the battery grows older Stibine is also apt to be formed when water is applied to the dross from aluminum re- 1169