90 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



on animals who retire earlier than he does. That 

 hunger should thus give way to sleep, when the 

 cold which benumbs them would starve them by 

 famine, appears ordered by that benevolent Pro- 

 vidence, who regulates every part of the universe. 



My uncle says that something like this is the 

 case in man ; when the cold is very violent he 

 becomes insensible ; if one of his limbs should 

 freeze he does not perceive it, but on the con- 

 trary fancies himself growing warmer, and feels 

 such a propensity to sleep, that he is angry at 

 being roused. There are continual instances of 

 this in the northern parts of Europe ; and the poor 

 frozen person, if indulged by his companions in 

 closing his eyes for a few minutes, seldom opens 

 them again. He does not, however, die imme- 

 diately, my uncle says : it is even thought by 

 some, that as long as the same temperature con- 

 tinued, he would sleep like the dormouse, de- 

 prived of all vital action. 



My aunt said, she wondered whether human 

 creatures could be revived, after having been 

 many days frozen, provided similar means were 

 used for their recovery that are employed to re- 

 store a frozen limb. Warmth, she said, is applied 

 with the utmost caution, the frozen parts are 

 rubbed with snow and then immersed in water 

 very little warmer than melted ice. The attempt 

 would be worth making, instead of abandoning 

 frozen people to their fate, she thought ; but that 



