Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-06-16 | Page 11 | Weed Killer to Remain in Use

WEED KILLER TO REMAIN IN USEIn USE In spite of the fire hazard that tha exists through the use of sodium chlorate as a weed killer the state board of at agriculture will continue to use it until the present supply is exhausted ex ex- hausted Harden Bennion commissIoner commissioner commissioner commis commis- of agriculture said Thursday The state has about worth of this chemical on hand he an The danger that surrounds the use of the chemical was brought to light Tuesday when Leslie J. J Kidman bishop of the Gunnison L L. D D. S. S ward Sanpete county was severely burned when his clothing caught fire while hUe spraying weeds at Clarion 1 IN CRITICAL CONDITION Bishop Kidman who was transformed trans formed into a human torch when the solution dried and bec became me ignited by friction of his clothes was reported in n a critical condition in L. L D. D S. S hospital hospital hospital hos hos- pital Thursday His companions Clinton J. J Kjar district agricultural Inspector and Conrad driver of the spray wagon wacon tore the blazing blazin garments garments gar gar- ments from Mr Kidman's body and rolled him In the dust First aid was administered at Gunnison Gunnison Gun Gun- Gunnison nison and the victim was taken to the he Salt Lake hospital in a critical cond condition tion Sodium chlorate Mr Bennion ex- ex Gained is effective in weed eradication Ion tion tion but is extremely dangerous to handle as a spray Minute particles Continued on Page Pare Seventeen S WEED KILLER TO REMAIN IN D USE J. J Continued Pom From Page Pace Eleven Eoven even of the sodium chlorate which on the clothes cothes of the spraying dew deware crew are hl highly inflammable and arid when dry often oHen i ignite nie by friction as in Bishop Kidman's case casc More than 20 persons died as n a result resul of sodium chlorate burns burs in the United States last year records show ATTEMPT MIXING The state has several tons of tho the chemical on hand and several days ago efforts were made to mix sodium chlorate and calcium chloride thereby thereby there there- thee by making the mixture as asa a a weed eed killer kier but noncombustible Officials of a chemical company Mr BennIon said protested this plan lan lanon on the grounds it would be a violation violation viola vIola- tion ton of patent rights right Negotiations for permission to use ue the mixture or or- orto to sell sel the sodium chlorate to the patent patentholders patentholders patentholders holders failed and the state has decided de dc de to use the present supply hl he added Special instructions have been s sent nt to persons using the chemical suggesting suggesting sug- sug sug sug- gesting that clothes cothes be kept damp thid rd washed soon after the spraying spraying- is completed and that rubber boots be used and washed frequently Commissioner Bennion is i now makIng makIng mak male Ing negotiations for purchase e of ot noncombustible non non- combustible materials for use later Inthe in inte inthe the te summer sumer