408 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



to any cotton fabric and is especially valuable in connection with 

 muslin because this material is so often used, especially on the stage, 

 for dresses which, on account of their flimsy nature, are naturally 

 highly inflammable. I have here two strips of the same muslin, one of 

 which has been treated by the " Non-Flam " process without in any 

 way affecting its ordinary properties and was then washed ten times 

 and the difference in inflammability of the two samples is very strik- 

 ing. Whilst the first sample is highly dangerous, it is difficult to 

 imagine that harm could come to any one who happened to be dressed 

 in the treated material even if, by accident, a lighted match came in 

 contact with the dress. Another direction in which the process may be 

 used with great advantage is in connection with lace curtains. Many 

 disastrous fires have occurred by reason of the ignition of lace curtains 

 and there can be no doubt that the greater majority of these would have 

 been avoided if the curtains had been treated by the " Non-Flam " 

 process. As an example of this, I have here a strip of lace curtain 

 which has been subjected to the process and then washed a number of 

 times and it will be seen that if such material did accidentally come in 

 contact with a lighted match, the danger of fire is reduced to a minimum 

 because even supposing the material did catch fire, the flame is put out 

 at once by the least shake. 



It seems to me that it is obvious that, if this process or some other 

 process capable of giving the same protection from fire, was adopted 

 in the case of all inflammable cotton goods and especially in the case 

 of material used for garments, many disastrous fires and the appalling 

 loss of life especially among young children, might be avoided and it is 

 for this reason that I have ventured to bring the subject of the perma- 

 nent fireproofmg of cotton goods to your notice this afternoon. 



