Dr. Nitro
by Joe Stout
When I was about 12 I got a chemistry set for Christmas. This was a wonder to me and I delved into trying all the experiments that the book had instructed, As time went on and there was nothing more to experiment with my curiosity began to cause me to want to find more to experiment with, Mr, Gent and Mr. Bert at the Brasfield Drug Store was aware of my interest in chemistry’ and sold me various ingredients .In those days drugstores mixed up many of ‘their own prescriptions from various ingredients in the big glass bottles.
I soon began to look up various ways that things were made in the encyclopedia. My attention soon turned to the fascinating subject of gunpowder. Lo and behold I found that gunpowder was easy to make. It consisted of sodium nitrate (saltpeter) sulfur and charcoal. I learned that sodium nitrate was fertilizer and easily obtained as well as charcoal I was able to get sulfur from Mr. Gent and Mr. Bert. I began to make my own gunpowder and use it in toy cannons made from galvanized pipe and had my wars with toy soldiers.
By experimenting I also learned that by using gunpowder to ignite it that a mixture or sulfur and sodium nitrate would then burn a hole in a steel plate. I got collodion and made safety glass by spreading it between two pieces of glass. Or. Cutler down at the Greenfield Drug Store also knew of my interest in experimenting and he also sold me ingredients for me to use. Of course 1 would tell them of non dangerous uses that I would want my various chemicals for.
As I got a little older and was just starting my freshman year in high school I decided that since I had been so successful with my gunpowder that I would try something more powerful. Back again 1 went to the encyclopedia and looked up nitroglycerine. Much to my surprise I found that it only took three ingredients also to make. These were nitric acid, sulphuric acid and glycerin. I got the glycerine from Mr. Gent and later when he was not there I obtained the nitric acid from Mr. Bert and then went down the street and got the sulphuric acid from Dr. Cutler
My laboratory was in the loft of the barn in back of our house on Broad St. Naturally! wanted someone to witness how smart 1 was with my experiments. Jimmy Grooms happened to be around when I decided to make my nitro. 1 did not know the amount of each ingredient to use and was trying by trial and error. I would mix a small batch and put in small bottles we would find in the garbage ditches and then throw them in the pasture hoping they would go off.
After several tailed attempts Jimmy began to say it’ll never work. I then said 1 would try one more time and made one more attempt. As I was climbing down out of the barn loft Jimmy said, .“pitch it down to me.” I told him no that it was much too dangerous. As I reached the ground in the barn hall I looked at the bottle and it was boiling and as I drew back my arm to throw it went off knocking Jimmy up against the wall of the barn. My hand was and face was a bloody mess from cuts of the shattered bottle. We ran up the street to John Ben’s house and he doctored me up with Mercurochrome and bandages.
Jack Gill was an artist and wrote for the school paper a lot. Jack was also good at giving out nicknames to people. For quite sometime after that I was known as Dr. Nitro.
I soon began to look up various ways that things were made in the encyclopedia. My attention soon turned to the fascinating subject of gunpowder. Lo and behold I found that gunpowder was easy to make. It consisted of sodium nitrate (saltpeter) sulfur and charcoal. I learned that sodium nitrate was fertilizer and easily obtained as well as charcoal I was able to get sulfur from Mr. Gent and Mr. Bert. I began to make my own gunpowder and use it in toy cannons made from galvanized pipe and had my wars with toy soldiers.
By experimenting I also learned that by using gunpowder to ignite it that a mixture or sulfur and sodium nitrate would then burn a hole in a steel plate. I got collodion and made safety glass by spreading it between two pieces of glass. Or. Cutler down at the Greenfield Drug Store also knew of my interest in experimenting and he also sold me ingredients for me to use. Of course 1 would tell them of non dangerous uses that I would want my various chemicals for.
As I got a little older and was just starting my freshman year in high school I decided that since I had been so successful with my gunpowder that I would try something more powerful. Back again 1 went to the encyclopedia and looked up nitroglycerine. Much to my surprise I found that it only took three ingredients also to make. These were nitric acid, sulphuric acid and glycerin. I got the glycerine from Mr. Gent and later when he was not there I obtained the nitric acid from Mr. Bert and then went down the street and got the sulphuric acid from Dr. Cutler
My laboratory was in the loft of the barn in back of our house on Broad St. Naturally! wanted someone to witness how smart 1 was with my experiments. Jimmy Grooms happened to be around when I decided to make my nitro. 1 did not know the amount of each ingredient to use and was trying by trial and error. I would mix a small batch and put in small bottles we would find in the garbage ditches and then throw them in the pasture hoping they would go off.
After several tailed attempts Jimmy began to say it’ll never work. I then said 1 would try one more time and made one more attempt. As I was climbing down out of the barn loft Jimmy said, .“pitch it down to me.” I told him no that it was much too dangerous. As I reached the ground in the barn hall I looked at the bottle and it was boiling and as I drew back my arm to throw it went off knocking Jimmy up against the wall of the barn. My hand was and face was a bloody mess from cuts of the shattered bottle. We ran up the street to John Ben’s house and he doctored me up with Mercurochrome and bandages.
Jack Gill was an artist and wrote for the school paper a lot. Jack was also good at giving out nicknames to people. For quite sometime after that I was known as Dr. Nitro.
To this day I have scars on my hand and one on my neck that the shattered glass caused. Of course this was not pure nitroglycerine or I would not be here writing this but it was an experience I will never forget.
Joe Stout