Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-04-28
WORTH READING BY WOMEN
How TO Act If the Clothes tako
Fire---Directions u be Re-
membercd-

A girl or woman who meets with this
accident (of settirg fire to her clothes),
should immediately lie down on the floor,
and so, any one vino goes to her assist
ance should instantly, if she still be
erect, make her lie down, or. If needful,
throw her down into horizontal posi-
ton, and keep her in 1t. Sparks fly
upward, and flames ascend. Ignition
from below mounts with fearful rapid
lty, and as result, well known-to ex-
perts, the fatality Of Disagreement in
lamentable cases IS due to the burns in
ficted about the body, neck, face, aud
head, and not to the injuries of the
lower limbs. Now, the very nom ent
that the person whose clothes are on
fire is in horizontal position on a fiat
surface, the flames will still ascend, but
only the air and not the flames encircle
their victim. Time is thus gained for
further action, and, in such crisis in
light against fire, few seconds are
precious, nay, priceless. Once in the
prone position, the person afflicted may
crawl 70 bell pull or to door, so as to
clutch at one or open the other to OBJ
tain help. The draught from an open
door INTO the room would serve to blow
the flames. if any, away from the body;
or. again, still crawling, the sufferer
may be aOle to secure rug or table
cover, OF other article at hand, TO
smother any remaining flames. 1 say
remaining flames, for as soon as the
horizontal position is assumed they
have no longer much to feed upon, and
may either go out, as the phrase is, or
may be accidentally or Intentionally
extinguished as the person rolls or
moves upon the floor. In any case not
only is time gained, but the injury in
licted is minlmzed. In the event OF
the conditions not being those of self
he p, but assistance from another, if it
be man who comes to the rescue,
having first and instantly thrown the
girl or woman down, it is easy to take
off his coat and so stitle the diminished
flames with this or some other suitable
covering, the flames playing now up
ward from the lower limbs or the
lower part of the body of the PROSTATE
fellow creature. If it be a woman who
rushe5 to give aid, this last-named con-
iitlOn suggests that the safer mode of
rendering It is to approach the sufferer
by the head, and fling something over
the lower part of the body, for fear of
setting fire to herself.
L., in these fearful accidents, the hOr-
izontal position be assumed or enforced,
there could be, IN short, comparative
immunity and limited injury. If not,
what must happen? The fire will
mount; the flames land it is these which
will do the injury will enYelop the
body, inside and outside the clothes,
and VII reach the neck ami head, and
then, indeed, they may be smOtherad by
J coat or wrapper, or rug, while the
victim Is frightfully disfgured or
doomed TO perish,
For many years have urged these
views while lecturing on injuries from
burns, and oree l Ead al occasion 20
illustrate them practically, though in
comparatively trivial accident. Some
dressings of very inhammable charac-
ter caught fire at the bedside of a pa
tient in one of my surgical wards; they
were promptly seized by student, who
threw them iRtO the middle of the
ward and endeavOred to stamp out the
flaming material. But this containing
parafine and resin adhered to his boots,
and his legs, as he danced about were
getting uncomfortably hot. To his as.
and to the undoubted sur
prise OF every one in sight, L caught
him by the collar of his coat and
tripped up his legs. Instantly the
flames became harmless, and were ex-
by nurse throwing jug
Of water on them.