1825.] Mr. Whatton on a Safety Hood and Moutli-piece. 281 



As they deserve to be distinguished by different names, I 

 propose to call the Cornwall variety chalcolite, the appellation 

 which it had previously received from Werner, and to appro- 

 priate to the yellow variety the name of uranite. 



Article V. 



Observations on a Safety/ Hood and Mouth-piece, invented by 

 John Roberts, for enabling Persons to enter Apartments in 

 Cases of Fire, to effect Measures for its early Extinction, and for 

 the Removal of Goods, Papers, S^c. By W. R. Whatlon, Esq. 

 FAS. &c. 



(To the Editors of the Annals of Pliilosophy.) 

 GENTLEMEN, 



I DO myself the honour of oft'ering }'0u, for insertion in your 

 highly valuable journal, some short observations on a recent 

 invention brought before the public in this town, by John 

 Roberts, a poor working miner, of St. Helens, in Lancashire, 

 which, after being submitted to the test of experiment, has 

 answered the expectations formed of its apparent utility in the 

 highest degree. 



The construction of the instrument is very simple, and consists 

 of a hood or covering for the head and neck, made of strong- 

 leather, and closely adapted to the upper part of the body ; 

 into the front or face part of which is inserted a sight piece of 

 glass, set in a projecting square tin socket or frame ; and a 

 mouth-piece, to which is attached an open tube, constructed of 

 spiral wire covered with leather, descending to within about 

 nine inches of the floor, steadied by a strap and buckle round 

 the leg, and having at its end a large funnel or trumpet-shaped 

 opening of tin, closed with strong flannel or horse-rug, and 

 carefully lined on its inner surface with a layer of sponge. 



The principle upon which its merits appear entirely to rest, is 

 the facility afforded to the wearer of respiring freely a much less 

 impure and a comparatively cool atmospheric air, in places 

 filled with smoke and vapour, arising from the combustion of 

 matter of any kind, and deleterious, in a greater or less degree, 

 to animal life. 



To render the hood fit for immediate use, nothing more is 

 nece,ssary than to moisten thoroughly the flannel and sponge at 

 its lower end with water; taking- care to free it from any super- 

 fluous (piantity of fluid which it may have imbibed, and which 

 would otherwise interfere with the free passage of air through 

 the instrument, and impair its usefulness. The manner of itf^ 

 Operation is to enable the vvemer to inhale the air froiri the 



