"Our family’s 1920 cottage has had this extinguisher on the wall for decades. According to some Googling:

“In 1900, the Red Comet fire extinguisher was a glass sphere filled with CTC, or Carbon tetrachloride. Early Red Comets used salt-water, but CTC was more effective. Firefighters hurled the Red Comet at the base of a fire to extinguish the flames.

Carbon tetrachloride was suitable for liquid and electrical fires and the extinguishers were fitted to motor vehicles. Carbon tetrachloride extinguishers were withdrawn in the 1950s because of the chemical's toxicity. Exposure to high concentrations caused damage the nervous system and internal organs. Additionally, when used on a fire, the heat converted CTC to phosgene gas, formerly used as a chemical weapon.”

At least there’s no asbestos in the place…"