Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-07
The sub.,ruc,ure Of Reds.


kind still desideratum-and vet any nan of
OF binary capacity may himself make the foun-
dation for an excellent one with q few hours
Iseor. when we ,ehecs on the importance OF
sheep, the time thus spent win not appear
wasted. without sleep insanity Is certain.
Nearly one-third Of life must be passed i'm sleep.
Whywe are thus CONSTITUTED Is not TO the present
10 the inclination of the earth's axis, or ii the
inhabitants OF the planet Mars sleep, we shall
not stop now to inquire. 1t is enough with
Saneho Panza to invoke blessings on the man
that invented sleep" Il GOV, ~ one so like u
blanket, !" "tired natures sweet restorer, balmy
sleep, descending as it does Like tired eyelds
over tired eyes"
How strange it is that in this decade of the
nineteenth century We should firSt re able 20
compel he attendance, certainly and securely,
OF s!eep-to realize :hr truth OF the fable OF
Iethean waters. Opium gave us IlIs boon ut
'be eNEelfe CT fcverish reaction; morphine
promised 1t, but failed in the perform ancc; chic
tolorm gave it, but at serious risk. How sud-
Denly choral has come into use, Almost
qnicEly as the shades of night, which il so aptly
rel resents, has this invention crossed the At
lahtic on downy pinions TO visit the abOdes OF
AMERICAN care and distracting brain labor. This
stbe yeritable ang, OF sleep. Calow humanity
nestifs under her wings and comes forth re-
nrwed, clad, strengthened In her presence
TYPHOID fever, that terrible scourge OF American
brain-workers, loses half its terrors and moiety
OF its mortality. Unless intestinal liberation cut
the thread of life. the nervous system can now
be so supported as 10 out-last the disease. Thus
does Sleep, the emblem of death, become the be-
ginning vi new life. In sunstrOke, if we can
roduce sleep we may save life. In delirism
sleep restores the lost faculties OF the mind.
But of the bed bottoms conducive to sleep:
The foundation OF the superstructure should be
frm, light, open, elastic, noiseless; affording no
harbOr TO insect denizens To such as are i'm
common use there are objections.
The cord is in reality nOn-elastic; though
Goes so support the straw to bring its elasticity
INTO play By sliding, it also gives way a little
under the pressure of prominent parts of the
body. But Its general action is like that of
thorough-brace under a carriage-h merely al
Jews change OF position In its best estate it is
always sageing, causing the surface of the bed
TO incline towards the center, requiring to be
continually frightened and wearing ont soon For
mdlhcation too, 1t affords the best of facilities.
Stats, as commonly applied, though they bend
with their burden, have no proper elasticity.
1t is OF no consequence to the prominent hip
bones and short ribs of an emaciated sleeper
whether they are a few inches more or less dis
tant from the floor; but it is OF consequence that
the prominent portions of the body should find
for themselves corresponding depressions i'm the
Supporting medium, thus extending the surface
Stats, as commonly used, adequate to the weight
OF different individuals. Ii too thick, they are
rigid; II too thin. they come down.
Stacking is difficult to maintain in position:
always gives concave surface, in most cases
followed at the ends; is entirely inelastic: and
hence its use is confined to single temporary beds
soia springs, supporting fiat disks of wood
made into mattress, are expensive, harbor in
sects, easily get out of order, and withal are so
noisy as to preclude their use. People do not
choose TO inform their neighbors whenever they
Wire mattresses remedy many of the evils
enumerated; but wire is good conductor of
neat.thelr surface is fiat, and the expense OF
them must always restrict their use. Iron bed
steads have not come into vogue.
The main question is-can we, out of mate
rial at hand, without skilled labor, construct
good foundation for a bed? The hunter, in the
wilderness, answers this question with hemlock
ooughs, averring that though green, they are
not damp, or that some medicinal quality Of the
hemlock prevents his taking cold. The soldier
answers much in the same way, by means of
straw In bulk. If his bed is dry and elastic and
warm. he is satisfied.
of all qualities in led, we detest dampness
we instinctively fear mustv smell, and with
good reason. Continually exhalng from the
surface Of the body, night and day, is definite
III TINS process OF breathing through the skin is
arrested by an oil-skIn coat, or fndia-rubber
boots, or gutta- p erch splnts las in the case OF
presslve sensations. An extra amount of labor
Is thrown in upon the lungs, and we take
cold" This objection to water-beds and air
Rubber boots sweat the feet: gutta.percba
splints and starch bandages irritate and so the
scbstructure Of bed which is to be in continual
porous.
Wood, then, shall be the material; and we will
construct the fabric with nterstices for aera-
uon. We VIII give the stats curve in the
upward direction, and support them i'm such a
manner that they may elOngate somewh hat under
pressure And If these Stats are sufficiently fire.
quent, and thin enough, and elastic enough, we
shall have bed-bOttOm constructed on the
same principle as the elliptic wagon spring in
general use. Indeed the first form of this inyen-
1 1Sr was haf spring suspended from two
10 90 this, measure the distance between the
rope holes In the end rail of the bedstead If
eight inches, the Stats may be two inches wide
and two inches apart, and a slat will come oppo-
site each orifce. The Stats may be sawed from
two-inch plank, and made 6ve-eighths or half an
inch in thickness. If not thoroughly seasoned,
70 much the better. They may be prepared at
the mill with least expense. Two end pieces are
also required, an inch thick.
To construct: Take twice as many Stats and
an additional one, as there are apertures for the
cord in an end rail; cut them two inches shorter
than the bedstead measures in Tenth inside the
rails; dress them from near the middle on each
eage 70 each end making the end square; shave
these ends carefully TO q round form; cut the
inch pieces OF such length that they will at
readily between the side rails; then opposite
each oriiiee in the end rail bore through the inch
piece, and half way between these holes make
a. many, and one more, using five-eighths or
half-inch bit, as the case may be- to fit the
In putting together, place the strongest sla.
on the outside, to come next the side rails of the
bedstead. Be careful to keep the Stats all i'm the
same place. Drive together until the end of
each Stat Is even with the surface of the end
piece. Take out the "wind," and pin each slat
az BOTH ends through the inch piece with a small,
tough wooden pin.
To fasten this frame or hurdle in the betstead
use cord small enough to pass double through
the holes in the end rails. Let this cord, when
in place, lie under the end piece of the hurdle
and around each alternate Stat thus raising the
hurdle to the level Of the top OF the rails After
fastening, use the former BEDFORD to suppsrt
the hurdle until seasoned, by passing across from
side rail to side rail.
This makes comfortable support for the
usual straw bed and mattress, or feather bed in
its present unseasOned state. Each slat recedes
under pressure, and yet cannot escape or break:
but in few weeks ii settles so much az to lose
its elasticity, and assumes shape approximstipg
an inverted dome. The places subjected TO
most pressure become most depressed. and the
Stats, by seasoning, grow hard, dry and elastic
III now this hurdle be inverted, we shall have a
complete foundation for An easy bed. The parts
corresponding to the prominences of the body
will be most elevated, and the surface will re-
cede most where subjected to the greatest pres
sure. twill be well ventilated. nOseless firm
light supple and durable. 1t will not roll 20 the
middle, and will affOrdnO refuge during the day
| TO the marauders of the night
To give greater elevation and elasticity, the
central Stats no doubt might be made somewhat
thinner and little longer than the outside ones.
The supporting cords might also be attached
only at the four corners. Then leaving the cross
cord loose, the depression of the middle of the
bed would produce curvature of the end pieces,
which. when dry, would give still more fullness
| TO the middle Of the bed.-Country Geauemdn