bedstead be placed near a wall; or soiled linen be suffered to remain in an apartment where the purity of the air is of the first importance. A bed, or couch, ought to stand free on all its sides, and, if possible, in the middle of the chamber: which is farther of consequence to timid individuals, who tremble during the prevalence of a tempest, or thunder-storm. We know from experience, that a flash of lightning, should it unfortunately strike a building, or enter through any of the windows, uniformly takes its direction along the walls, without injuring the furniture in the centre of a room.
BEDSTEAD, a frame for supporting a bed. Among the various materials used for bedsteads, iron is not only the most durable, but also the most beneficial, with respect to health. Oak is excellent for this purpose, being almost impervious to worms, if felled in the proper season, and allowed to become dry; but cedar, were it not for its strong odour, would be still more efficacious in preventing the inroads of bugs, or other vermin. Hence, the beams and posts of a bedstead, made of any hard wood, might be inlaid with cedar.
On this occasion, we cannot, in justice to Mr. Lambert, of Berwick-street, Soho, omit to give a concise description of his newly-invented Bedstead for the Sick and Wounded, which he terms the Royal Patent Fracture Bed, and which is ably caculated to alleviate the painful situation of the aged, the infirm, or diseased. This ingenious contrivance, therefore, affords a comfortable accommodation to persons confined by fractures, gout, palsy, &c. it is particularly adapted to lying-in women. The bed may be made, and the linen changed, without in the slightest manner disturbing the patient, which renders it highly serviceable in camps and hospitals.
We have given a plate of this useful invention, of which the following is an explanation: A, the bedstead; B, the feather-bed; C, the straining-frame; D, the fracture-frame; S,S,S,S, four rings in the fracture-frame; E, the sleeping-desk; R,R, two rings in the sleeping-desk; F,F,F,F, pullies put in motion by the machinery; G,G,G,G, receiving-hooks of the fracture-frame; 3 3 3 3, four rings in the straining-frame; H,H,H,H, receiving-hooks to ditto; I, the plate of the machinery; K, the great wheel; L, a pinion, with a wynch turning the great wheel; O, a pall or stop; M, a pinion with a fly, to prevent a too sudden descent; N, the rollers.
The subjoined directions should be attended to in making and using the bed. Lay the straining-frame C, covered with ticking, on the feather-bed B, then the under-blanket and sheet: above these, place the fracture-frame D, (on which the patient is supported); then the bolster, pillows and upper-clothes, in the usual manner. When the feather-bed is to be made, wind up the two frames, C, and D, by the wynch, till the patient is supported above the bed, which may then be made, or, if necessary, another placed in its stead, and the two frames let down upon it.
In changing the linen, the two frames C, and D, must be wound up till they reach the four hooks G,G,G,G; secure the hooks in the four rings S,S,S,S, and wrap the sheet you intend to remove, round
