Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-16

There are few accidents more terri
BILE than the setting Are to the loose
vestments worn by women. Instantly
the lower part of the dress is ignited,
the flames rush upward with great We
locity, and the whole of the garments
are involved in the confagration.--
Even if almost Immediately extin-
guished, SO large portion of the skin
is scorched that death often ensues
from the shock to the system, though
perhaps the actual injury does not. ap-
pear to be severe.
The first impulse of the victim il to
rush about shrieking for help the Sec
ond to open the door, II possible, and
run along the passages out into the
open air, thus tanning the flame to the
utmost. No line of action could be
more fatal in its consequences. It can
not be too constantly borne in mind
that the only safety is to fall down
quickly on the floor; IL Q small por.
ton of the dress only is ignited, it NAV
be put out by thrusting it under the
body and by rolling upon it. BY roll
ing over and over the person is COM
parativcly safe,s as the flames ascend
away from the body, and thus do COM
paratively little damage.
Tho course of action for rby-standers
is evident it is to seize any woolen
covering near at hand, as q blanket,
shawl, hearth-rug, coat, or curtain,
throw it instantly around the sufferer,
and roll her on the floor in its folds
Scores Of lives have been saved by
by-standers taking off their coats, and
instantly extinguishing the flames in
this manner. As soon as the victim is
on the ground the greatest danger is
over; the flames no longer rise to the
face, and the breathing of the over
heated air, which is always fatal is pre-
vented S %SGa 9
1t may be asked, what Is the best
treatment to be adopted for the suffer-
cr before the arrival Of medical aid
II the burn is severe the patient
should be laid in q bed and the clothes
removed with as little disturbance as
possible; they should, ii requisite, be
cut of, SO as to avoid the slightest ad-
ditional injury to the burned surface.
Then, to exclude the air, some applica-
tion is requisite; cotton wool does
very well, but the simplest, the nearest
to the hand, the most easily applied,
and certainly one OF the most cflica-
cious, is flour, profusely dredsed on
out OF a common fonr-dredger.
Ii cannot be too strongly borne in
mind that cold water or other cold APP
plications to AN extensive burn are fd-
tai. Persons suffering from burns rare
ly die from the immediate injury the
causc or death is either the shock to
the system or congestion of the lungs,
both which would be greatly intensi-
fed by cold applied to the outer surface
of the body. The danger of burn or
scald is not in proportion to its intens-
ity or severity SO much as to the cx-
tent of surface injured thus severe
burn confined to small portion of the
body is seldom fatal. A comparative
ly slight scald extending over a large
surface is rarely recovered from. Thus
lamentable accidents often occur from,
children pulling a cup Of hot tea from
the edge of table the liquid runs
down inside the clothes, spreads over
the chest, and from the extent rather
than the severity Of the injury, il I:
often fatal.