3°6 
Painless Death . 
t April, 
lamps connected up successively in the circuit of a dynamo- 
eledtric machine, but found the loss of light very great. 
It appears that the eledtric light can alone compete with 
light produced by combustion when produced of great in- 
tensity in one point by one dynamo-eledtric machine. 
Having satisfied himself of the difficulty and impractica- 
bility of the division of the eledtric light, he tried diffusion — 
i.e . 9 a few large lights (each light produced by one machine) 
are placed at different points of the space, and by optical 
means the light is diffused over a large area. This method 
is found to be perfectly practicable. There is naturally also 
a large amount of light lost (by absorption), but this loss 
will bear a constant ratio to the total light produced, and 
probably may decrease with the intensity. The light is 
diffused by means of a silvered glass refledtor in which a 
powerful eledtric light burns, throwing direct and reflected 
rays up to a white ceiling, or any other convenient white 
surface. The form and size of each refledtor must of course 
depend on the locality where it is to be used. 
Mr. Schwendler recommends the employment of the 
eledtric light at railway-stations in India. The station is to 
be lighted up with four powerful eledtric lights, placed judi- 
ciously, so as to have the greatest and most uniform effedt, 
each light being produced by one lamp and one dynamo- 
eledtric machine. Each light, by an opaque silvered glass 
refledtor, is thrown against a white ceiling or any other white 
surface. No direct rays are allowed to enter the retina. 
This, Mr. Schwendler says, produces a light effedt, resem- 
bling daylight, with no shade whatsoever. The intensity of 
the light will be such that the smallest print can be read by 
a normal eye at any place on the platform. 
VIII. PAINLESS DEATH. 
* N one of his ledtures Prof Tyndall spoke of the proba- 
bilities in favour of the entire absence of pain accom- 
panying death by lightning. It is popularly supposed 
that an impression made upon the nerves — a blow or 
pundture — is felt at the precise instant it is inflidted, but 
such is not the fadt. The seat of sensation is the brain, 
