The Sun.
London, England, 1827-10-19 00:00:00

NOXIOUS AIR.

The safety lamp of Sir H. Davy is one of
those great discoveries to which, in modern
times, the combination of genius and science
has given birth. The beneficial consequences
of the invention, in saving human life, are of a
nature to entitle its author to the praise and gra-
titude of the country, for the important service
rendered to m.ulk-ind. The intrinsic excellence
of this ingenious contrivancc,. is not, however,
confined as to remedy against Fire-damp. The
enlightened research and scientific merit of the
experiments which lead to the result, have opened
a new field for investigation with
,respect to the
qualities of foul and pestilential air in general.
It is an obvious inference, that the same pre.
cautions may be used, and similar expedients
applied, as have proved successful in the safety
lamp, to resist the influence of the different de-
scriptions of noxious air—whether Miasma,
Malaria, Fibrite Contagion, or an accumulation
of Carbonic Acid Gas.

It has been casually observed, that silk of the
texture of a common handkerchief possesses the
peculiar property of resisting in. a great degree,
the impression of many kinds of contagious dis-
ease ; and it may, perhaps, •,be found • by expe-
riment, that this article of domestic fabric will
constitute, by its effects on the pre-=disposing
cause, the instrument for accomplishing, per-
fectly, so invaluable a purpose. If, as is sup-
posed, the poisonous matter is received through
the lungs, it is not difficult to account for the
action •of this very simple preventive, on
the same principles as the gauze wire
acts in the safety lamp. It is well known
that the nature of these poisons isb,e
such,
that they are easily decomposed, and that
by feeble chemical agents. Now, it is pro-
bable that the heated and compound gas which
proceeds from, the lungs, and which forms an at-
mospherel;3)3o swsaegres
utoffiwctiihteehnitinntothouedt
el: althoughgauzecosoveeil
th
it
may
o e miasma
fsi k may
in
i
haxt:es
true
that the mechanical texture of the silk covering
will itself act as a non-conductor, and prove an
impediment to the transmission of any deleterious
substance. ,

In order to demonstrate the truth of this
opinion, some further experiments respecting it
should be instituted, and it surely is worth the
attention of physicians to try whether this simple
expedient may not answer the object in view,
and be effectual in preventing the communica-
tion of contagion.
It would be an advantage to
disseminate this
piece of knowledge, should
it prove such, that
those who have an opportunity, may repeat the
experiment, since it is simple and within every
f t
this
i s withv aiu
a theble
quality
success
one's reach.
Should the result correspond with the trials
h
already made
attendedanexdisbteence
o
anticipated,ajnllstiillkatillthiegt be ascertained beyond doubt, and
the
remains is with respect to the mode
Of applying it to the purpose designed, which
would be a subject of detail, and could
be a
matter of no great difficulty.

M. T. X..

TUNBRIDGE WELLS.--The shock occa-
sioned by the awful explosion' of the powder-mills at Dart-
ford, on Friday morning last, was felt by many persona at
the Wells; and we are informed by the postman from East
Grinstead, that the inhabitants at that place were thrown
into great alarm in consequence of that sad catastrophe, by
which three men in the mills were blown to pieces, and a
Jeg, and another detached part of one of the sufferers,-were
found in a tree at a considerable distanee.«—Brighton
Paper.
•