ON SPONTANEOUS INFLAMMATIONS. ^37 



It is principally hay which requires precaution ; if the hay- 

 harveft happen in rainy weather, it is commonly flacked be- 

 fore it is thoroughly dry, and in this ftate is more difpofed to 

 ferment and to heat. If a hay-ftack is obferved to be in fer- 

 mentation, great care muft be taken not to throw it down too 

 fuddenly, the exterior layers muft be carefully detached one 

 after the other. It almoft always happens, that when a hole 

 is made in the middle of a ftack of heated hay, it takes fire 

 fuddenly. 



Nothing, however, is more eafy than to prevent thefe fatal Utility of adding 

 accidents : when there is any reafon to fear that the hay which '^^''^ '^^ ^^* 

 is intended to be houfed or flacked, is not fufficiently dry, it 

 is only necefTary to fcatter a few handfulls of common fait 

 (muriate of foda) between each layer. It would be very ill 

 judged to regret this trifling expence; for the fait, by ab- 

 forbing the humidity of the hay, not only prevents the fer- 

 mentation and confequent inflammation of it, but it alfo 

 adds a tafte to this forage which flimulates the appetites of 

 cattle, afliifts their digeflion, and preferves them from many 

 difeafes. 



During the great heats of fammer, it frequently happens that 

 heaps of dung inflame fpontaneoufly : great care fiiould be 

 taken to fprinkle them frequently with water in the fummer 

 feafon, and to keep them at a certain diftance from habitations, 

 as well to prevent fires as with a view to falubrity. 



5. The Accumulation of Animal and Vegetable Suhfiances covered 

 with an Oil. 



If animal and vegetable fubftances heaped into a large mafs. Heat from greaf/ 



can take fire from the heat produced by their decompofition, =*"™f and ve- 



getable matters* 

 this accident is ftill more to be dreaded when they are covered 



with oily matters, and particularly with a drying oil. 



Befides the accident which happened at the manufadlory 

 of Lagelbart, and of which our colleague Hauflman gave an 

 account to the Society, and the fire which took place in one 

 of the fineft manufactories at St. Marie-aux-Mines, there are 

 many other examples of wool, fluff;!, and pieces of cloth, which 

 were not freed from greafe, taking fire in the warehoufes 

 when they were folded together, and even while moving 

 them from one place to another when they were in large quan- 

 tities : this is principally to be dreaded when linfeed oil, or 

 •• any 



