and causes much global warming potential...

Thanks for the comment.
A history, chemistry, and now environmental science lesson all wrapped up in one.
We have it all right here, folks!

I used to have a few of these, but they weren't anywhere near as fancy as the pictured ones. The ones I had were from the 1960s or so, like glass ball with pointed bottom, held in plastic bracket so that if there was a fire, they'd melt and fall off the wall.


We got rid of them /just/ before it got really hard to do so.

These are some fine specimens you found. I've never so many of this type in one place! However, not all of them had carbon tetraclhoride in them, some had distilled water in them as well.

I would imagine that the museum would have replaced the carbon tetrachloride with a safer substance. I will have to ask the next time I visit.

Well you can't replace it, as it is sealed within the glass. I meant some of them had distilled water in them when they were made.

I see. I thought those might be ordinary corks sealing the grenades and that they might be removed and replaced after contents were made safe.

On some but they would most likely be extremly difficult if not impossible to remove without breaking them.

Thanks. I appreciate you returning to follow up further on this topic.

I owned a large collection of these in a fire memorabilia collection of mine.There are lots of different types. I had 2 of these in this color. And yes they did work, and well, but were very dangerous. It was the only chemical however that was safe for cleaning rare prints and stamps without bleeding the colors. So when one broke accidentally, I quickly poured it into a container (while holding my breathe of course). I had to open the windows for awhile to air out the place. Carbon tet steals the oxygen out of the air by bonding with it molecularly somehow. You also used to be able to buy it as dry cleaning fluid.

I didn't know that about its cleaning properties. I learn something new from my furry friends every day.

Carbon tet used to be used in killing jars by insect collectors.

I swear a day doesn't pass that I don't learn something new from my furry friends.

Well one of the biggest drawbacks and factors that lead to the decline of the old carbon tetrachloride fire grenades is that when thrown into a fire, the carbon tetrachloride when heated can produce deadly phosgene gas! Super poisonous, was used as one of the gases used in chemical warfare during World War I, causes a fluid buildup in the lungs a few hours after exposure.

I knew the resulting gas could be dangerous. But I wasn’t aware it had been used in chemical warfare. Thanks for that bit of trivia.