Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-07-31
IN CASE OF FIRE.
valuabIe Advice 70 women.

The following letter appeared In the
London Times:
Will you grant me space to explain
briefly what, think, should be the first
thing to be done by girl or woman
whose DIRE has caught lire. and SINH
larry the first duty OF any one who goes
to her rescue?
A girl or woman who meets with this
accident should Immediately lie down on
the floor, and so any one who goes to
her assistance should instantly. IL she
still be erect, make her lie down, or II
needful, throw her down in horizontal
position, and keep her in 1t.
Sparks fly upward, and flames ascend.
Ignition from below mounts with fearful
rapidity; and, as result well known 10
experts, the fatality or dlsiigurements In
these lamentable cases is due TO the
burns inflicted about the body, neck.
face and head, and not injuries to the
lower limbs.
Now the very moment that the person
whose clothes are on fire Is In hori-
zontal position on q fiat surface, the
flames still ascend, but only into the air,
and not encircling their victim. Time Is
thus gained for further action, and I'm
such n CIR sis In fight against fire few
seconds are precious, nav, priceless.
Once In the prone pos ton, the person
afflicted may rawl to bcll-puIl or to o
door so as to clutch at the ono or open
the other to obtain hep. Tho driught
IRON an open door Into tho room would
serve T., blow ths ilames, II any, away
IRON tho body.
Or again, still crawling. the sufferer
may Lc able to secure "A rug or table
cover, or ttsler at tlcle at hand, TO smoth-
er any remaining flames.
/ say remniiling ilamcs, for as soon as
the horizontal position Is assumed they
have no longer much TO fed upon, and
may either do out, as the phrase Is, or
may be acci ientally or Intentionally ex-
tinguished as the person rolls or moves
upon the foo.
III any case. not only Is time gained,
but the injsry inflicted is minimized.
In the eventof the conditions not being
those Of self help, tut OF sssstance from
another, Ii 1t be man VIII comes to the
rescue, having first and instantly thrown
the girl or woman down. 1t Is easy TO
take off his coat and SO stifle the dimin-
ished flames with this or some other
suitable coverings the flames playing
now upward from the lower limbs or
lower part OF the body OF the PROSTATE
fellow-creature.
II 1t be woman who rushes to give
aid, this last-named condition suggests
that the safer mode OF rendering IL Is to
approach the sufferer by the head, and
fling something thence over the lower
part of the body, for fear Of setting fire
to herself.
If, in these fearful accidents, the hoFi-
zontal position be assumed or enforced.
there would be, in short, comparative
immunity and limited injury. III not,
what must happen? The fire will mount;
the flames land 1t is these which do tho
injury will envelop body inside and
outside the clothes, and will reach tho
neck and head, and then, indeed, they
may be smothered by a coat or wrapper,
or rug, while the victim Is frightfully
disfigured or Is doomed 70 perish.
For many years I have urged these
views while lecturing on injuries from
burns; and once had an occasion to
illustrate them practically. though In
comparatively trivial accident
Some dressings Of O very lnnammablo
character caught Ere at the bedside OF .
patient IN ono Of my surgical wards;
they were promptly seized BY a student,
who threw them into the middle Of the
ward. and endeavored 90 stamp out the
flaming ial. But this containing
parafIln and resin adhered 70 his boots.
and his legs as he danced about were
getting uncomfortably hot.
To his establishment, and to the un-
doubted surprise OF every one In sight.
caught him BY the collar Of his coat,
and tripped up his legs. Instantly the
flames became harmless, and were ex-
tinguishcd by a nurse throwing Jug Of
wafer on them.
have often thought that on the ap-
proach OF the Wint season there should
be at every school, whether board. vol
untary or private. whether for girls or
boys, an address, II not an actual demon
stration By means OF suitable models,
pointing ont what should be done In
thess pee al calamlties.
II two upright models were prepared
alike, aud simultaneously seton fire. one
being thr0wn down after two seconds
and one after thirty seconds. or at any
other two different times, the memories
Of children would receive lasting, and
Il might be serviceabIe, impression.