One method consists in the production of potassium cyanide from potash and carbon in a current of ammonia gas. Small pieces of charcoal are freed from air, saturated with a solution of potash, dried in the absence of air, and heated in upright iron cylinders to 100° C., while a stream of ammonia gas is passed through.
Again, sodium cyanide is prepared from ammonia, sodium, and carbon by introducing a definite amount of sodium and coal dust into melted sodium cyanide and passing ammonia through. The solution is then concentrated in vacuo and sodium cyanide crystallises out on cooling.
Use of Cyanides.—Potassium cyanide is principally used in the recovery of gold, in gold and silver electroplating, in photography, for soldering (it reduces oxides and makes metallic surfaces clean), for the production of other cyanogen compounds, for the removal of silver nitrate stains, &c. Hydrocyanic acid gas is given off in electroplating, photography, in smelting fumes, in tanning (removing hair by gas lime), &c.
Effects on Health.—Industrial cyanogen poisoning is rare. Weyl[1] states that he could find no case in any of the German factory inspectors’ reports for the twenty years prior to 1897, nor in some twenty-five volumes of foreign factory inspectors’ reports. I have found practically the same in my search through the modern literature.
Of the very few references to the subject I quote the most important.
A case of (presumably) chronic hydrocyanic acid poisoning is described in a worker engaged for thirteen years in silver electroplating of copper plates.[2] The plates were dipped in a silver cyanide solution and then brushed. After two years he began to show signs of vomiting, nausea, palpitation, and fatigue, which progressed and led to his death.
A case of sudden death is described[3] occurring to a worker in a sodium cyanide factory who inhaled air mixed with hydrocyanic acid gas from a leaky pipe situated in a cellar. The factory made sodium cyanide and ammonium sulphate from the residue after removal of the sugar from molasses. This is the only definite case of acute cyanogen poisoning in a factory known to me. I believe that under modern conditions, in which the whole process is carried on under negative pressure, chance of escape of cyanogen gases is practically excluded.
It should be mentioned that hydrocyanic acid vapour is given off in the burning of celluloid. In this way eight persons were killed at a fire in a celluloid factory.[4]
Skin affections are said to be caused by contact with fluids containing cyanogen compounds, especially in electroplating. It is stated that workers coming into contact with solutions containing cyanides may absorb amounts sufficient to cause symptoms, especially if the skin has abrasions. Such cases are described.[5] In electroplating, further, in consequence of the strong soda solutions used, deep ulceration and fissures of the skin of the hand can be caused.