210 . M. Aldini's Iiicombustible Dresses 



Besides, it is not difficult to retain the breath thirty or sixty 

 seconds or even more ; and though we do not think that the 

 firemen employed this method when they ran through the 

 burning ranges of flame, yet the short space of time necessary 

 to run over thirty-three feet rendered it possible for them to 

 do it. 



But if it is demonstrated by the experiments which we have 

 witnessed, that in the greatest number of cases, and in free air, 

 respiration can be effected without danger, it is greatly to be 

 feared that it will become very difficult in a narrow space 

 filled with smoke, a case which happens very often in fires. 

 In order that the fireman may breathe fresh air, will it not be 

 necessary to furnish him with a portable reservoir, or what is 

 more simple, with a spiral tube winding from his feet to his 

 mouth ? We know, indeed, that in an open and heated apart- 

 ment, fresh air enters always below, while warm air escapes 

 above, and consequently the firemen will thus have more 

 chances of breathing freely. We insist upon this point, be- 

 cause we know that nothing disturbs respiration so much as 

 thick smoke. We are of opinion also that it would be useful 

 to accustom firemen to retain their breath, — an act which is 

 acquired by divers. 



We have said that M. Aldini employs in his apparatus 

 amianthus cloth, and woollen cloth rendered incombustible by 

 means of a saline solution. We shall now examine the ad- 

 vantages of each of these substances. 



Amianthus, or asbestus, is, by its nature, perfectly incom- 

 bustible. It is found in great abundance, particularly in 

 Corsica; and Madame Lena Perpenti of Como has manufactur- 

 ed different fabrics of it, and even lace, (See Bull. Soc. En~ 

 couragemerit, 1813, p. 166.) so that there can be no doubt 

 that this mineral is fitted for the different operations of spin- 

 ning and weaving. M. Aldini has also been occupied in fa- 

 cihtating these operations, and he has presented to the com- 

 mission a piece of amianthus cloth nearly six feet eight inches 

 long, by five feet four inches wide, which is nearly as large as 

 that which is preserved in the Library of the Vatican. This 

 cloth, however, must always be of too great value to receive 



3 



