THERMAL DEATH-POINT OF LIVIXG MATTER. 695 



back until the shark was removed. The best food for the animals in- 

 dicated is the mussel or the oyster cut into fine shreds, but fresh beef 

 may be used if these cannot be had. To feed the anemones, place a 

 shred upon the end of a stick and put it in contact with one of the 

 animal's tentacles, whereupon it will be immediately conveyed to the 

 mouth. They do not require feeding oftener than once a week. The 

 crabs should be fed at the same time or they will rob the anemones. 

 It is not necessary, as previously indicated, to add plants to marine 

 aquaria ; however, a few pieces of sea-weed may be put in for the sake 

 of ornament, but, as it does not live long, care should be taken to re- 

 move each piece as soon as it dies, and replace it by a living one. 



THEKMAL DEATH-POmT OF LIYING MATTEE.^ 



By H. CHAELTON BASTIAN, M.D., F. E.S., 



PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON. 



WATER is boiling merrily over a brisk fire, when some luckless 

 person upsets the vessel, so that the heated fluid exercises its 

 scathing influence upon an uncovered portion of the body — hand, 

 arm, or face. Those who have seen much of the efiects produced 

 upon the human skin by such accidents, will have acquired informa- 

 tion not unworthy of influencing their opinion on some more general 

 problems connected with the action of heat upon living matter. Here, 

 at all events, there is no room for doubt. Boiling water unquestion- 

 ably exercises a most pernicious and rapidly destructive action upon 

 the living matter of which we are composed. There is no need to 

 appeal to the suflerer's sensations for this information. This, indeed, 

 is a point of view which we may for the present dismiss. For, how- 

 ever agonizing these sensations may be, they could only supply 

 us with information upon a collateral point with which we are not 

 at present concerned. Apart from such subjective efiects, there 

 are objective efiects. That is, we are easily able to see the changes 

 produced by boiling water upon living matter — revealing themselves 

 as they do by an immediately altered appearance of the skin, and 

 by the terrible wound so quickly produced. Upon these distress- 

 ing, though, unfortunately, only too familiar consequences of the action 

 of heat upon living matter, it is not necessary for me further to 

 dwell ; I would merely have the reader so far bear them in mind that 

 they may not be incapable of recall during the perusal of this article. 

 The occasional revival of such impressions may perhaps prove a little 



' From author's advance sheets. 



