SCIENCE. 



419 



by means of a gas light placed behind it, and you will im- 

 mediately see that the magical effects become more in- 

 tense. It develops by degrees and produces nearly all the 

 forms and images which are on the back, quite perfectly. 

 You observe that the great quantity of small figures which 

 are in but slight relief are not visible, while all the others 

 of pronounced relief are clearly brought out. This fact 

 is an important one. It shows us that we must look for 

 magic mirrors only among those having ornaments in de- 

 cided relief upon their backs. You must also know that 

 they are not to be found among very thick mirrors. The 

 experiment is still more successful with this Japanese 

 toilet mirror. 



The first experiments, after reading M. Govi's papers, 

 were made by M. Ayrton and myself, as we desired to 

 verify the investigation of the Italian savant before pub- 

 lishing them, and at the same time study thoroughly this 

 very interesting subject, hoping that we might be able, 

 perhaps, to reproduce ihe mirror in France instead of im- 

 porting them from the extreme East. You must bear in 

 mind that we had but one mirror at our disposition and 

 that one but slightly magic. It belonged to M. Dybowski. 

 We began by heating it as I shall show you presently. Here 

 is the natural mirror which is hardly magical at all. You 

 see the effect is produced in proportion to the amount of 

 heat employed. Heat applied to several other Japanese 

 mirrors bought in Paris or borrowed from collectors pro- 

 duced a magical effect upon them all. 



These experiments were repeated by us very often. But 

 it was not long before we discovered the inconveniences 

 of the heating method. First of all, as it is extremely 

 difficult to preserve an equal degree of warmth upon the 

 entire surface. The image is rarely perfectly regular ; 

 then the mirror itself is somewhat altered. The reverse 

 becomes covered with a bronze iridescence while the sur- 

 face loses its polish because the heat destroys the amal- 

 gam which covers it, the mirror loaned to me was in a fright- 

 ful condition when I returned it, but it was finally put in order 

 again. The spots upon the back were removed by a coating 

 of slightly acidulated water, and the amalgamation replaced 

 by nickel plating which made a more perfect and durable 

 polish. Before giving it back to its owner, however, we 

 had numerous copies made from it, and it was one of 

 these which I showed you a few moments since. 



The disadvantages of heating made us wonder if the 

 same effect could not be produced by a different method, 

 and we thought of pressure. M. Duboscq solved the 

 problem by means of this box. You see it is not thick, 

 and is of the precise diameter of the mirror which is 

 attacaed to the upper part by an iron ring and one of 

 India rubber. The under portion is closed and provided 

 with a spout and plug which it connects with the little 

 hand pump well known as the Gay-Lussac. This pump 

 inhales on one side, and exhales on the other. If we at- 

 tach an India rubber tube to the spout, on the exhaling 

 side the movement of the piston will compress the air 

 behind the mirror. We will now try it. 



The mirror becomes more convex and the image 

 widens. The thin portions protrude more than the 

 others and the magical effect grows more and more pro- 

 nounced. It will be quite complete when the pressure 

 attains two atmospheres. We have it now ! You see, 

 the effect is perfect. It is certainly much finer than any- 

 thing M. Ayrton has shown us, although his experiments 

 astonished us so much. 



We can also produce an inverse effect, by attaching 

 the rubber tube to the inhaling spout. The action of the 

 pump will remove the air beneath the mirror, which will 

 become less convex and you see the luminous disk con- 

 tract. The thin portions corresponding to the outlines 

 of the design will yield more than the others, become 

 less convex and perhaps concave. They will reflect more 

 light and we may see a new image appear which will be 

 the exact reverse of the preceding. That is to say, that 

 the parts in relief will appear black upon a white ground. 



This is a negative form of the first, in which we saw 

 the relief traced in white upon a black surface. 



M. Deboscq made many other experiments, one of 

 which I will relate to you before I conclude. 



I wished to go still further. I wished to have a cast 

 taken of the mirror while it is magic, and make a 

 galvano-plastic deposit in the mould so that we might 

 have a magic surface instead of a mirror. We tried this 

 three times. The plaster moulding was very successful 

 and the surface magic, but the galvano-plastic deposit 

 was a complete failure. If any one here among my audi- 

 ence can give me any advice upon the subject I would be 

 most grateful. 



Gentlemen, I hope sincerely I have been able to in- 

 terest you in this new subject of magic mirrors. If I 

 have succeeded in making my meaning throughout, clear 

 to you, these mirrors will no longer be a mystery, and 

 you will have seen once more how Science, by slow but 

 sure efforts, is finally able to explain and reproduce phe- 

 nomena, which at first sight seemed miracles, always 

 provided that the phenomena are real and not mere 

 phantoms of human credulity. 



RECENT SURGICAL CASE. 



The following case, which, in some respects, is similar 

 to that of President Garfield's, may be read with interest 

 for the purpose of comparison. The man was sent to St. 

 Michael s Hospital, Newark, N. J., where his case was 

 considered hopeless at the date of his entry. We are in- 

 debted to Dr. H. C. H. Herold for a copy of the following 

 report : 



George Freund, age 36, Germany, ex-policeman. — Ad- 

 mitted to hospital July 4th, suffering from bullet wound 

 of chest. The wound was produced by a 22-inch calibre 

 pistol, and situated an inch and three-quarters below and 

 half an inch to the left of the left nipple. When seen 

 half an hour after admission his pulse, temperature and 

 respiration were all normal. On examining his lungs the 

 percussion note was normal. On auscultation, rales were 

 heard over both lungs, resulting from chronic bronchitis. 

 He is subject to attacks of asthma. Heart sounds nor- 

 mal. Ordered one-quarter of a grain of morphine every 

 two hours until sleep was obtained. 



July 5. — Morning. Passed a very restless night, not 

 seeming to feel the effects of the morphine. Tempera- 

 ture, 102 ; pulse, 120 ; respiration, 32, and very labored. 

 It was ascertained on examination that he was suffering 

 from an asthmatic attack. He has had no spitting of 

 blood and no sign of any lung trouble. Ordered grains 

 x of iodide of potash, three times a day. July 5. — Even- 

 ing. Complains of great pain in the vicinity of the 

 wound, extending toward the stomach. Temperature, 

 102 ; skin feeling to the hand cold and covered with a 

 clammy sweat. Pulse, 80 ; quite feeble and compressi- 

 ble, intermitting at every second beat. Respiration, 30 ; 

 not labored, having recovered from his asthmatic at- 

 tack. 



July 6. — Passed a very restless night ; one-eighth grain 

 of morphia given every two hours; temperature, 103; 

 pulse, no: respiration, 40 ; labored and sighing; slight 

 hemorrhage from wound ; all pain left him. 



July 7. — Passed a quiet night, sleeping very well ; only 

 one-eighth grain of mo/phia administered ; temperature, 

 101 ; pulse, 106; respiration, 18; slight hemorrhage from 

 wound ; expectoration of a sputa which looks very much 

 like laudable pus. 



July 8, — Slept quite well, taking one-eighth grain of 

 morphia ; complains of some pain in vicinity of wound ; 

 hemorrhage .from wound ceased; has taken no food 

 s : nce admission, being sustained by stimulants, beef tea, 

 milk, etc.; temperature, 102; pulse, 115, quite strong, in- 

 termitting at every fifth beat ; respiration, 26. 



July 9. — Very comfortable night, taking only one- 



