Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1875 — Fire-Proof Clothing for Women. [ARTICLE]

Fire-Proof Clothing for Women.

During the past year the usual list of accidents arising from skirts taking fire has been given in the newspapers. Ladies passing or sitting near an open fire of coal or wood; children left to their own devices before the nursery-grate, and actresses swinging 1 heir trains too near the foot-lights, have all contributed their sad stories of death or disfigurement. Moved by the reiterated reports of such casualties, Queen Victoria, some years ago, requested Prof. Graham, a chemist of high standing, to institute experiments with & view to finding some msthod of rendering cotton fabrics fireproof. It was admitted that while fire might be communicated to other fabrics, cotton alone flashed into flame upon the slightest provocation. The investigations of Prof. Graham, aided by two distinguished German experts, resulted in a recommendation of certain salts of ammonia as most effective for the desired purpose, and not at ail injurious to the goods. Sulphate of ammonia in solution, containing 10 per cent, of the salt, received pieces of finished muslin that were dried rapidly in a machine known as “ hydro-extractor.” The fabrics thus treated proved wholly uninflammable, while their colors were undiminished, and even that tint was only modified slightly, and rendered less gaudy by the operation. Just as women would sponge cloth before transforming into garments,let them wash new muslin in the ammonia salt referred to. The soiled articles already made up should, after washing and drying as usual, be subjected to 1 another dip in the salt before ironing, and they are then fire-proof.—Metropoli-tan. _ Dry furnace heat, productive of throat and lung disease, may be moistened by hanging a wet towel in front of the register, the lower edge of the tdwel being allowed to dip in a shallow vessel of water.