In the Royal Decree issued by the Government for examining the dead in Würtemberg, dated January 24, 1882 (_Dienst-Vorschriften für Leichenschäuer_, Stuttgart, 1885), various signs and experiments for enabling the official inspector of deaths to ascertain if actual death has taken place are laid down. Among these are:-- (1) “The cessation of sensibility may be assumed if, on raising the eyelid, the pupil remains unaltered when a lighted candle is held close to it; or if pungent odours, such as those derived from onions, vinegar, sal-ammoniac, or severe friction of the chest, arms, or soles of the feet, the application of mustard, or burning tinder, or if sealing-wax dropped upon the chest produces no reaction, and particularly if in the latter case the skin does not blister. (2) “The stoppage of the circulation of the blood, apart from the absence of heart beating, if, after tying a tight bandage around the arm, the veins do not swell up, upon the hands being firmly gripped; also if, upon pricking the lips, no blood escapes; furthermore, if, on holding the hand in front of a bright light (the diaphanous test), the finger-tips are no longer translucent as in the living.” Nor should the inspector ever neglect to examine the heart to ascertain the complete absence of all sound, and to test the absence of breath by other experiments. The rescript further adds that these experiments “may not furnish absolute proof of death,” and describes what further proceedings to institute. These are referred to in this volume in the chapter devoted to Death Certification. An editorial note in the _Lancet_, January 29, 1887, p. 233, shows the difficulty of distinguishing real from [CASES FROM THE “LANCET.”] APPARENT DEATH.