Gilpin observer., 1911-08-10

space of time,-for in these contests as in hook
and ladder races and hose laying contests a sec
ond or two may mark the difference between vic
tory and defeat.
The first aid" tournament is going to have
some very realistic features For one thing there
will be provided make believe" coal mine
open at one eide to the view of the spectators
and In this will occur signal an explosion Just
like that which occurs in a real mine except that
there will be actual loss of life. However
men Will be apparently injured by the shock and
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 they would do under the stress of
genuine disaster. These workers will
be called upon to improvise stretchers from their
Jackets and 1ine drills; to hurriedy bring to the
scene mine hospital cars; and do the other things
they would do in time of serious trouble OF
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 lamps for
1t is out of the question to carry into mine
nlled with explosive gases any ordinary lantern
or lamp with exposed fame of any kind
Easily one of the most interesting phases of the
contests will be the competitions involving the
use OF the oxygen helmets called. helmet
of this kind, which may cost much as $780,
may be described an air-tght. armor-like COW
ering for the head and shoulders which enables
rescue worker to penetrate into mines filled
with noxious fumes just drivers suit enables
its wearer to live and work under water. The
ueimeI uot only excluOeS the deadly gas
Of the mine but it supplies its wearer with
necessary flow of giving oxygen, drawn as
needed from metal cylinders of compressed oxy-
gen worn on the back, like knapsack The CON-
petitions at Pittsburg will include tests as to how
long work erectually in such q suit
Of armor and tests as 10 the ability Of the tespec
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 1t may happen that
there is second rescue worker at hand to
sist in changing cylinders and unless first aid
man do this for himself he must leave his
work and hurry back to the mouth Of the mine
for fresh air.
Another form of apparatus. and 1t is new one.
which will be demonstrated is the Pulmoter. The
Pumoter is German invention, and for all that
it would almost fit into ordinary suit case.
it is so delicate and remarkable in its mechanism
that it costs $780, The Pulmoter is, in effect, an
automatic breathing machine 1t will compel an
unconscious man to breath whether he wants to
or and it mechanically draws poisonous gases
out of the lungs with one operation and forces in
the life giving oxygen with the other That it is
capable of well nigh performing miracles may be
appreciated when it is explained that with this
agent for mechanical resusctaton the experts
of the u s. Government have brought back to
life, miners who had remained unconscious in
mines for 26 hours and who had been abandoned
dead.