312 ON THE USE OF MOSS IN FURN'ITURE. 



XIV. 



Rejieciions on the Species of Mass proposed as a substitute 

 for Wool in stuffing Beds , Furniture, and Garments, hy 

 Mr. Parmentier*. 



Moss proposed JL HE dearness of wool, and more particularly the pic- 

 as a substitute perty it has of imbibing putrid miasmata, and propagating 

 contagious disorders, suggested the idea of supplying its 

 place in beds by the hypnumcrispum L. a kind of moss of a 

 moderate length, and of a somewhat fragrant smell. Mr. 

 Isengard, inspector of direct contributions at Savonne, has 

 sent to the Societj^ of Encouragement a specimen of this 

 moss, taken from a mattress that has been in use for some 

 yearsj with a paper in which he relates the methods of pre- 

 paring it for domestic purposes. 

 Ilxamined by This Society, which attends to every project offered it, 

 the Society of j^ j^g obiect be of public utility, and to promote our home 

 Encourage- "^ ii- 'i •• /, 



jnent. manufactures, submitted it to the examination of its com- 



mittee of economical arts; and Mr. Bouriat, one of its 

 members, drew up a report, in which the advantages and 

 inconveniencies, that might arise from the proposal, are 

 justly estimated. The judicious observations in this report 

 leave nothing to be added to them. 



One of our most intelligent army physicians too, Mr. 



Michel, has communicated to us his ideas with respect to 



the hypnum crispum, both medically and economically. 



The following is an extract from liis letter. 



bedding of the " A great number of patients labouring under fevers, 



sick infecti- g]] ^f jj^g nervous kind, in the French hospital at Genoa, 



OU5. 



where I was employed, convinced me, that the bedding of 

 the sick is of itself sufficient, to render the slightest disor- 

 der complicated ; as it is generally acknowledged, that wool 

 imbibes contagion, and propagates it, which dangerous pro- 

 perties vegetable substances happily do not possess." 

 Moss recora. Among those exempt from this inconvenience he particu- 

 rrieiified. Jarizes this moss, which he met with in Italy in every wood., 



particularly on beech trees. It is gathered in August and 



« Abridged from th« Annalesde Chimie, vol. LXV, p. 175. 



September, 



