Forums > Technical Discussion > Kero & Chemical Pneumonia from spinning off..

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Shouden-CrDSILVER Member
Veteran Member
495 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA


Posted:
I apologize if this has been covered before, but this is news to me, and I feel that I have done my fair share of searching and research on this and haven't heard of this phenomenon before.I recently received this IM from a friend of mine. This supposedly was from either rec.juggling or alt.rec.juggling..."If kero is inhaled in even small quantities (a teaspoon or so) it can cause mechanicalpneumonia and death by asphyxiation. For example, fire-poi swingers who get rid of excess fuel by spinning unlit wicks create a vaporous cloud of kerosene around themselves, which they inhale. If they dothis frequently enough, they get pneumonia.""Developing chemical pneumonia by the inhaltation of built up paraffinvapours affer inhaling them time after time is likely indeed, I can tell you by experience. But since paraffin at room temperature is not too vaporous, the risk is more in the fumes that leave the torch afterburning. That's concentrated paraffin damp, be extremely cautious with that!"Could someone shed some light on this subject? Should I worry about the accumulation of vapors in my lungs from spinning off?CRD

-=ÇrazyRaverÐude=-


adamricepoo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA


Posted:
I can't answer the assertion that inhaling kero will lead to pneumonia. My guess, however, is that spinning off poi will not cause this to happen. The kero would need to volatilize right then into vapor, and it doesn't seem to do that.I have seen some twirlers have bad coughing fits when their wicks burn out, leaving a vapor trail, so there might be something to the second part of this. Still, I wonder--I'd think you'd need to be in a confined space to really get much into your lungs. I mean, I ride my bike every day close to car exhausts, which probably does contain some vaporized fuel. I've been doing this for over 20 years. No pneumonia yet.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
Hey CRD....No offense to your friend but he has some of his facts kind of mixed up.Read through the current Fire Breathing thread in this section. I put up a whole bunch of information about Chemical Pnuemonia. A teaspoon of anything inhaled will most likely not cause Chem Pnuemonia, but will still cause some issues until you hack it up!If you have liquid/vapor in your lungs your body will cough and to try to expell it, your body won't save it an build it up as it is not solid-clingy like tar from nicotene. In small amounts of extreme exposure damage is done in little bits (such as inhaling a teaspoon every time you light up). Little bits of damage after a period of time can add up to something larger, yes, much like cigarette smoking.However, Chemical Pnuemonia from spinning is not likely at all. Kero, or other fuels, are not vaporized at all in the spinning process. They rain down in little drops during spin off, but not small enough to be inhaled. When you are done spinning you are not standing in a vaporous cloud. If you smother you wick out you aren't standing in any thing at all. If you allow your wick to burn down, you are standing in the smokey center of burning wick. While spinning and the fuel is burning, the smoke coming off from it is a byproduct of the burn, not a pure vaporous form of the fuel. At that point in the spin, the fuel is essentially burnt up, like wood in a campfire instead of a pot of water on the stove. Fumes are a result of anything burning, but they are not steam or vapor, they are a smokey residue.I think the point where any inhalation of vapors is likely from spinning is when you redip a hot wick, especially if you use white gas. I think the heavy cloud of vaporous mist off of that I think we have all agreed is not healthy. The cure to that is don't lean over it and don't inhale it.The death your friend is talking about is called ARDS...Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. What this is, your Bronchial tubes swell up and fill with fluid, which makes it feel impossible to breathe and as if you want to cough all the time. This is really not terribly common and can be caused by someone inhaling vomit, drinks, etc..... not just fuel. (I first learned about it as being a danger in Skin/Scuba Diving). If you ever feel you have it take short baby breaths. It gets air in without promoting coughing, and get some medical attention.Anyway, with smoke inhalation you are more likely to develop the same problems as smokers...emphascema (sp??), severe cough, bronchitis and it's related pnuemonia (different from Chem Pnuemonia). But still, I say it is uncommon, otherwise we would've heard about several members hospitalization by now.Health and Happiness to you Buddy, hope this helped! ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


N8member
336 posts
Location: NY, USA


Posted:
So I was gonna drop all this knowledge on this subject that I have but I guess Pele beat me too it.I really don't think there is much to worry about

Care of other people's approval and you become their prisoner.Live fully, Rave wholly.Fluid are the movements of my strings...


Shouden-CrDSILVER Member
Veteran Member
495 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA


Posted:
Thanks for the info adam and Pele. Once again, I try to rely on the more experienced(and knowledgable). I suspected that the droplets from spinning off were too large to inhale, but I wanted to hear it from someone else as well. *goes to inform his friend*CRD

-=ÇrazyRaverÐude=-


Ithacamember
45 posts
Location: Bath UK


Posted:
cheers for the info...

------------------
errrm I intend to live forever, or at least die trying.
Voltaire



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