This story plays on the realistic nineteenth–century fear of death by fire. Between 1848 and 1861, nearly 40000 people in England were burned alive or scalded to death; after the breaching age of five, girls were 60% more susceptible to this end than boys due to their flammable clothing; the danger was also higher for older women. Authorities recommended that Victorians starch cotton, linen, and muslin dresses with fire–resistant chemicals to avoid this danger.
From the preface of the story „Bring Me A Light!“.
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