READING IN BED.
As to reading while lying down in bed or on a lounge, I can see no objection to it so far as the eyes are concerned, provided the book is held in such a position that the eyes do not have to be rolled down too far. Unless the head is raised very high by pillows, however, it will be found very fatiguing to hold the book high enough, not to mention the danger of falling asleep, and of upsetting the lamp or candle, and thus setting the bed on fire. Many persons permanently weaken their eyes by reading to pass away the tedious hours during recovery from severe illness. The muscles of the eyes partake of the general weakness and are easily overtaxed. Persons in this condition may be read to, but should avoid the active use of their own eyes.
READING IN RAIL CARS.
Reading while in the rail cars or in omnibuses is to be avoided. The rapid shaking, trembling or oscillating motion of the cars makes it very difficult to keep the eyes fixed upon the words, and is very tiresome. I have seen many persons who attributed the failure of their eyes to the daily habit of reading while riding to and from the city. Children should be cautioned against reading with the head inclined forward. The stooping position encourages a rush of blood to the head, and consequently the eyes become congested, and the foundations for near-sightedness are laid.
(To be continued.)
From a paper by David Webster. M.D., professor of ophthalmology in the New York Polyclinic and surgeon to the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, New York.
TESTING INDIGO DYES.
The author deals with the question whether a sample of goods is dyed with indigo alone or with a mixture of indigo and other blue coloring matters. His method may be summarized as follows: Threads of the material in question should give up no coloring matter to boiling water. Alcohol at 50 and at 95 per cent. (by volume) ought to extract no color, even if gently warmed (not boiled). Solution of oxalic acid saturated in the cold, solution of borax, solution of alum at 10 per cent., and solution of ammonium molybdate at 331/3 per cent. ought not to extract any coloring matter at a boiling heat. The borax extract, if subsequently treated with hydrochloric acid, should not turn red, nor become blue on the further addition of ferric chloride. Solutions of stannous chloride and ferric chloride with the aid of heat ought entirely to destroy the blue coloring matter. Glacial acetic acid on repeated boiling should entirely dissolve the coloring matter. If the acetic extracts are mixed with two volumes of ether and water is added, so as to separate out the ether, the water should appear as a slightly blue solution, the main bulk of the indigo remaining in suspension at the surface of contact of the ethereal and watery stratum. This acid watery stratum should be colorless, and should not assume any color if a little strong hydrochloric acid is allowed to fall into it through the ether. No sulphureted hydrogen should be evolved on boiling the yarn or cloth in strong hydrochloric acid. On prolonged boiling, supersaturation with strong potassa in excess, heating and adding a few drops of chloroform, no isonitrile should be formed.—W. Lenz.