Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-16

space OF ume,-for In these contests as In hook
and ladder races and hose laying contests, sec
ond or two may mark the difference between yic-
tory and defeat
fne first aid' tournament is going to have
some very realistic features. For one thing there
Will be provided make believe" coal nine
open at one side to the view Of the spectators,
and IN this Will occur on signal an explosion Just
like that which occurs in real mine except that
there will be no actual loss Of life. However.
men Will be apparently injured by the shock ard
overcome by the fumes and will fall in supposedly
perilous positions from which they will be res
cued by first aid" men working in double quick
time Just as they would do under the stress OF
genuine disaster. These rescue workers win
be called upon to improvise stretchers from their
Jackets and nine drills to hurriedy bring to TIE
scene mine hospital cars; and do the other things
they would do in time OF serious trouble or
course all their operations will have to be carried
on by means Of what illumination can be gained
from the new pattern Of electric safety lamns for
1t Is out Of the question to carry into mine
filled with explosive gases any ordinary lantern
or lamp with an exposed fame of any kind.
Easily one of the most interesting phases Of tho
contests will be the competitions involving the
use OF the oxygen helmets so called. A helmet
OF this kind, which may cost as much as $500
may be described an alright, armorlike COW
ering for the head and shoulders which enables
rescue worker to penetrate into mines filled
its wearer to live and work under water The
alright helmet not only excludes the deadly gas
es OF the mine but it supplies its wearer with
necessary flow Of ne-giving oxygen, drain ~
needed from metal cylinders of compressed oxy-
gen worn on the back, like a knapsack. The com
petitions at Pittsburg will include tests as to how
long man can work e1fectually in such q suit
of armor and tests TO the ability OF the reDpso
tive wearers of the helmets to detach empty oxy-
gen cylinders from their backs and replace them
with fresh cylinders. This is highly Important
because in mine rescue work it may happen that
there is no second rescue worker at hand to az
stst In changing cylinders and unless first aid
man can do this for himself he must leave hin
work and hurry back to the mouth of the miEa
for fresh air.
Another form Of apparatus. and it is new one
which will be demonstrated is the Pulmoter The
Pulmoter is German invention, and for all that
1t would almost fit into an ordinary suit case
It Is so delicate and remarkable in its mechanisIn
that it costs $780, The Pulmoter is, in effect ain
automatic breathing machine. It will compel an
unconscious man to breath whether he wants to
or not and it mechanically draws poisonous gases
out Of the lungs with one oEeration and forces in
the life~giying oxygen with tho other That it ID
capable Of well nigh performing mirucses maT b
appreciated when it is explained that with thio
agent for mechanical resuscitaton the expsrtS
of the U. S. Government have brought back to
life, miners who had remained unconscious IN
mines for 26 hours and who had been abandonek
as dead