How they worked:
Heat Activation: The glass was designed to shatter when exposed to high temperatures, releasing the liquid inside.
Manual Use: Alternatively, you could throw the grenade directly into a fire. The impact would break the glass, and the liquid would vaporize instantly, smothering the flames by cutting off the oxygen supply.
It was a clever, simple solution for a time when fire could destroy a home in minutes.
The Dangerous Secret Inside
Here is the part that stopped us in our tracks: We shouldn’t have been handling it so casually.
While these devices were innovative for their time, many of them—especially those made after 1910—were filled with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄).
Why is this a problem?
Toxicity: Carbon tetrachloride is highly toxic to the liver and kidneys.
Inhalation Risk: When heated (as it would be in a fire), it decomposes into phosgene gas, a deadly chemical weapon used in World War I. Even inhaling the vapors from a broken or leaking grenade today can cause severe respiratory damage.
Carcinogen: It is classified as a probable human carcinogen.
So, while our “Red Comet” looked like a charming antique, it was essentially a sealed vessel of hazardous material. The innovation of the past often came with risks we only understand in hindsight.
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