PREVENTING SUFFOCATION BY SMOKE.
I WILL give some suggestions for the prevention of suffocation by smoke. A pillow-case, well saturated with water, and having a small hole torn in it to look thru, placed loosely over the head, will be found an admirable impromptu respirator in the densest smoke. I am indebted for the idea to Vice-Admiral Jerningham, who told me how, when he commanded the Cambridge training-ship at Plymouth, he made his first experiment with this pillow-case respirator. He had 12 lbs. of loose powder exploded in a confined part of the ship, which, altho. screened off with fearnaught, emitted so dense a smoke that those outside had to lie down on the deck. A common pillow-case, with a small eyehole, was placed over the head of a man, who, with the hose in his hand, went inside and remained ten minutes, when, to assure his friends outside of his safety, he sang a comic song.—Our Dumb Animals.