The times., 1899-04-10
FIREPRooF FABRICS.
Prof. Doremns' Recipe for Protect
ing window Curtains.

New York. April 9.-Prof X. Ogden Do
remus in his laboratory at the College of
the City of New York. yesterday morning
dwelt long and earnestly on the dangers
from fire caused by inflammable lace cur
tains in windows in close proximity TO gas
chandeliers, and described a process by
which he had obviated or greatly lessened
the danger in his home for many years.
To Professor Doremus method of prepar-
ing fabrics so that they become absolutely
fireproof there is no secrecy. and as he
states the formula which is very simple,
can be used by anybody interested either
as an experiment or in the preparation of
curtains, clothing. or anything else so as
to make them fireproof
Prof. Doremus first called the attention
of the public to the preparation he had dis
covered as long ago as 1873. when he de-
livered a lecture before the Bellevue Hos
pital Medical College on fires and how to
prevent them. Prof. Doremus lost a child
by fire many years ago and at once began
TO study TO discover something which
would make the clothing worn by children
fireproof. He finally learned that by wash
ing the fabric in solution of phosphate
of ammonia it became impervious 10 the
greatest heat and the strongest iiame, and
since that time the phosphate OF ammonia
bath for linen, tablecovers, napkins, and
all articles of clothing has been as reg
ularly used in the professors household
as has been the starch or blue bath.
1T should be made obligatory upon hotel
proprietors, " said Prof. Doremus. Ito MAKE
curtains and other articles of household
use freproof, particularly when it can be
shown that such an end can be accomplish
ed at but small cost and with little labor.
We read of many fires which start from
the lace curtains blowing against the gas
jet and igniting, when by the use of am
monia such thing can be obviated, and
the curtain may remain in contact with
the gas jet for several hours without doing
any more damage than to scorch the fab
ric. The curtain may be ruined, but it
Will be impossible for the fire to spread
y have lectured many times and before
large audiences on the subject of fires and
how to prevent them, and have frequently
illustrated my lecture by the use of pre-
pared freproof curtains. BY using one
curtain which has been prepared to with
stand the fire and one which has not the
advantage of using the ammonia solution
is readily seen. Il is inexpensive, and only
a small quantity is necessary for the laun-
dry of family for a week. / am surprised
that families have not applied the protsc-
tive safeguard from fire. The same prep
aration can be used on the woodwo k about
the windows and doors, and even the
wainscoting in rooms can be washed with
the solution and made practically fireproof.
THE preparation of the formula is very
simple. Purchase in any drug store a
pound of phosphate OF ammonia. Dissolve
it in water. making strong solution, and
then keep it in the laundry for constaSt
use. Let the laundress, when she is pre-
pairing to starch the clothes, pour little
of the solution in the bowl holding the
starch, and the linen will come out of the
wash fireproof. / earnestly recommend the
use of this formula by families when it
can be prepared SO cheaply and applied SO
easily"