Genre:

Essay, Drollery

Subjects:

Gas Chemistry, Heat, Physics, Technology, Amusement, Gender

    Discusses the design of ladies' dresses seen at the recent imperial baptismal ball in Paris. Questions whether air tubes within dresses are effective at keeping the wearer cool because 'Air is a bad conductor, and when confined, arrests the passage of heat. Much caloric is generated during a quadrille, and its escape would be opposed by the air-tubes'. Observes that dresses may be lightened by distending them with hydrogen rather than atmospheric air, but warns that since hydrogen is inflammable, this could have explosive results.