FIRE ARMOR, an appliance intended to facilitate escape from a burning building, or to enable a person to remain in it with safety while engaged in extinguishing a fire. It is in principle much the same as the submarine armor now in common use. Fire armors began to be used about half a century ago, but only within a few years have they been so constructed as to be practically effective. The latest invention is that of George A. Crofutt, of New York, called by him an "eye and lung protector." It is a mask for the face, which removes the noxious qualities of the air before it enters the lungs, and protects the eyes of the wearer from dust, smoke, etc., enabling him to "see as through a glass darkly" while laboring to extinguish a fire or to save life. A double shell of thin steel covered with India-rubber is held in place by an elastic band about the head. This shell is provided with eye-holes, in which are set plates of transparent mica. The India-rubber covering of the 'shell, falling a little below its edge, tightens
itself so closely as to prevent the intrusion of smoke and dust. For the protection of the lungs, a porous curtain, suspended from the covering of the shell, falls below the chin and is drawn by a string closely around the neck of the wearer. Within the cur tain and over the mouth and nostrils is placed a moist and carefully filtered sponge, through which the wearer breathes, and which, while cooling the air, divests it of its noxious qualities. This ingenious appliance is very light, and may be fitted to its place almost as quickly as a man puts on his hat. Many experiments have proved its effi cacy. The wearer is able to remain from 20 minutes to half an hour in a room filled with smoke and foul gases.