Year: 1873

glass. but they will soon disappear of them
selves. On looking closely the film of soapy
water will be detected, but it does not at all
hide the view. As the air inside is damp
and always depositing its moisture, it pre-
vents the film from drying for a considerable
period. 1t is well known that, from changes
of temperature and other causes, the glass,
or n portion of it, becomes nearly dry and
free from dew for few hours, and iancied
that after my film had once thus dried, 1t
would cease to be effective and need renew
ing, hut was agreeably surprised to find
thai when the dew had gathered again the
invi lie particles of soap which hal dried
on the glass united with it to form new
film nearly as perfect as the first. Indeed, |
found the need of renewing at all was due
not to the driving 50 much as the wetting,
for the dew, which, though unseen, is con-
stantly added to the soap, dilutes 1t and
gradually washes it down the sides Of the
glass, till at length it must be reapplied. \
consequence of all this will be that those
ferneries which deposit moisture most rapid
" will need the soap oftenest. With mine,
once a fortnight is sufficient. | should judge
that once week would be enough in any
case. but the trouble is so little that, if ne
eessary one would not object to doing it Of
tener still. OF course the glass SHOULD be
clean before the soap is applied, and espe-
cially free from any oily substance, or the
soap will not cling. In ventilating the fer


nery, it is best to take off the shade but
few moments at a time, so that the soapy
film will have no time to dry. Indeed, my
experience is that soap or no soap, it is bet


tor e., tIs. I.xa . ba ola fnE off
daily and almost Immediately replaced.
Those whose fern cases are framed can easily
apply the soap on sponge through the
door, and swinging the door back and forth
half a dozen times every morning will give
the ventilation without drying the soap;
surface. One remark more Is perhaps un-
necessary, but some may be thankful for the
warning, that to handle the shade safely
with soapy hands requires considerable care.
do not wish to be held responsible for the
slipping and crashing Of an expensive bell
glass the first time You put my suggestion
into practice. Leffcr 10 Hartford COEraHf


SURE TEsT OF DETH.-To learn with alb
solute certainty whether = person is dead or
not, DR.. Hugo Magnue suggests the follow
ing simple method. Tie strong ligature
tightly around finger or toe Of the sup
posed corpse, and if life Is still present a
reddening, which grows gradually darker
until it becomes blush red. will occur in
that portion Of the member beyond the con-


stricted point Where from exposure or toll
the skin Of the finger has bee ,me very much
thickened. toe NAV be selected. On the
other hand, if life Is extinct no change in
] .f
the nails 50 often seen on the dead body,
and also in certain cases Of blood disease,
need not he regarded a. any source ofiallacy,
for after the application Of the ligature. a.
long a life remains in the body the whole Of
the limb, from the place of construction TO
the extremity, will be uniformly blue-red
but if the coloraton do not take place, or
only occurs at a circumscribed spot, 1t can
with certainty be concluded that the spark
Of life has vanished. The deep-seated az
teries carry blood to the extremities the
veins. which are more superficial, return the
blood toward the heart. By the ligture the
backward flow Of blood j. arrested, when, If
still circulating, it continues TO pass into the
CONSTRUCTED extremity through the arteries.
and there accumulating gives rise to the pc
culiar color described. The object of the
above proceeding Is simply to ascertain
whether the blood still circulates. as the
complete stoppage of this function, according
so Dr. Magnus, is positive proof of death.


Ii Is recommended in the application Of
thi, method that the large limbs. such as the
arms or thigh, he not chosen. because the
necessary amount Of construction cannot be
50 readily obtained the numerous large,
deep-lying veins Of the muscles not being
sufficiently compressed by the lisatnre. In
case the fingers or toes are not available. the
lobe Of the ear may be employed Niennfc
Miscellany IN GalaIy for JqnpGrp.