mode　of　disposal。　You　will　understand　that　I　suggest　nothing　here　as
  probable；　or　as　c鰅ncident　with　my　own　opinion。　My　design；　so　far；
  has　no　reference　to　the　facts　of　the　case。　I　wish　merely　to　caution
  you　against　the　whole　tone　of　L'Etoile's　suggestion；　by　calling　your
  attention　to　its　ex　parte　character　at　the　outset。
  〃Having　prescribed　thus　a　limit　to　suit　its　own　preconceived　notions；
  having　assumed　that；　if　this　were　the　body　of　Marie；　it　could　have
  been　in　the　water　but　a　very　brief　time；　the　journal　goes　on　to　say：
  'All　experience　has　shown　that　drowned　bodies；　or　bodies　thrown　into
  the　water　immediately　after　death　by　violence；　require　from　six　to
  ten　days　for　sufficient　decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to
  the　top　of　the　water。　Even　when　a　cannon　is　fired　over　a　corpse；　and
  it　rises　before　at　least　five　or　six　days'　immersion；　it　sinks　again
  if　let　alone。'
  〃These　assertions　have　been　tacitly　received　by　every　paper　in　Paris；
  with　the　exception　of　Le　Moniteur。　｛*15｝　This　latter　print　endeavors
  to　combat　that　portion　of　the　paragraph　which　has　reference　to
  'drowned　bodies'　only；　by　citing　some　five　or　six　instances　in　which
  the　bodies　of　individuals　known　to　be　drowned　were　found　floating
  after　the　lapse　of　less　time　than　is　insisted　upon　by　L'Etoile。　But
  there　is　something　excessively　unphilosophical　in　the　attempt　on　the
  part　of　Le　Moniteur；　to　rebut　the　general　assertion　of　L'Etoile；　by　a
  citation　of　particular　instances　militating　against　that　assertion。
  Had　it　been　possible　to　adduce　fifty　instead　of　five　examples　of
  bodies　found　floating　at　the　end　of　two　or　three　days；　these　fifty
  examples　could　still　have　been　properly　regarded　only　as　exceptions
  to　L'Etoile's　rule；　until　such　time　as　the　rule　itself　should　be
  confuted。　Admitting　the　rule；　（and　this　Le　Moniteur　does　not　deny；
  insisting　merely　upon　its　exceptions；）　the　argument　of　L'Etoile　is
  suffered　to　remain　in　full　force；　for　this　argument　does　not　pretend
  to　involve　more　than　a　question　of　the　probability　of　the　body　having
  risen　to　the　surface　in　less　than　three　days；　and　this　probability
  will　be　in　favor　of　L'Etoile's　position　until　the　instances　so
  childishly　adduced　shall　be　sufficient　in　number　to　establish　an
  antagonistical　rule。
  〃You　will　see　at　once　that　all　argument　upon　this　head　should　be
  urged；　if　at　all；　against　the　rule　itself；　and　for　this　end　we　must
  examine　the　rationale　of　the　rule。　Now　the　human　body；　in　general；　is
  neither　much　lighter　nor　much　heavier　than　the　water　of　the　Seine；
  that　is　to　say；　the　specific　gravity　of　the　human　body；　in　its
  natural　condition；　is　about　equal　to　the　bulk　of　fresh　water　which　it
  displaces。　The　bodies　of　fat　and　fleshy　persons；　with　small　bones；
  and　of　women　generally；　are　lighter　than　those　of　the　lean　and
  large…boned；　and　of　men；　and　the　specific　gravity　of　the　water　of　a
  river　is　somewhat　influenced　by　the　presence　of　the　tide　from　sea。
  But；　leaving　this　tide　out　of　question；　it　may　be　said　that　very　few
  human　bodies　will　sink　at　all；　even　in　fresh　water；　of　their　own
  accord。　Almost　any　one；　falling　into　a　river；　will　be　enabled　to
  float；　if　he　suffer　the　specific　gravity　of　the　water　fairly　to　be
  adduced　in　comparison　with　his　own　…　that　is　to　say；　if　he　suffer　his
  whole　person　to　be　immersed；　with　as　little　exception　as　possible。
  The　proper　position　for　one　who　cannot　swim；　is　the　upright　position
  of　the　walker　on　land；　with　the　head　thrown　fully　back；　and　immersed；
  the　mouth　and　nostrils　alone　remaining　above　the　surface。　Thus
  circumstanced；　we　shall　find　that　we　float　without　difficulty　and
  without　exertion。　It　is　evident；　however；　that　the　gravities　of　the
  body；　and　of　the　bulk　of　water　displaced；　are　very　nicely　balanced；
  and　that　a　trifle　will　cause　either　to　preponderate。　An　arm；　for
  instance；　uplifted　from　the　water；　and　thus　deprived　of　its　support；
  is　an　additional　weight　sufficient　to　immerse　the　whole　head；　while
  the　accidental　aid　of　the　smallest　piece　of　timber　will　enable　us　to
  elevate　the　head　so　as　to　look　about。　Now；　in　the　struggles　of　one
  unused　to　swimming；　the　arms　are　invariably　thrown　upwards；　while　an
  attempt　is　made　to　keep　the　head　in　its　usual　perpendicular　position。
  The　result　is　the　immersion　of　the　mouth　and　nostrils；　and　the
  inception；　during　efforts　to　breathe　while　beneath　the　surface；　of
  water　into　the　lungs。　Much　is　also　received　into　the　stomach；　and　the
  whole　body　becomes　heavier　by　the　difference　between　the　weight　of
  the　air　originally　distending　these　cavities；　and　that　of　the　fluid
  which　now　fills　them。　This　difference　is　sufficient　to　cause　the　body
  to　sink；　as　a　general　rule；　but　is　insufficient　in　the　cases　of
  individuals　with　small　bones　and　an　abnormal　quantity　of　flaccid　or
  fatty　matter。　Such　individuals　float　even　after　drowning。
  〃The　corpse；　being。　supposed　at　the　bottom　of　the　river；　will　there
  remain　until；　by　some　means；　its　specific　gravity　again　becomes　less
  than　that　of　the　bulk　of　water　which　it　displaces。　This　effect　is
  brought　about　by　decomposition；　or　otherwise。　The　result　of
  decomposition　is　the　generation　of　gas；　distending　the　cellular
  tissues　and　all　the　cavities；　and　giving　the　puffedappearance　which
  is　to　horrible。　When　this　distension　has　so　far　progressed　that　the
  bulk　of　the　corpse　is　materially　increased　with。　out　a　corresponding
  increase　of　mass　or　weight；　its　specific　gravity　becomes　less　than
  that　of　the　water　displaced；　and　it　forthwith　makes　its　appearance　at
  the　surface。　But　decomposition　is　modified　by　innumerable
  circumstances　…　is　hastened　or　retarded　by　innumerable　agencies；　for
  example；　by　the　heat　or　cold　of　the　season；　by　the　mineral
  impregnation　or　purity　of　the　water；　by　its　depth　or　shallowness；　by
  its　currency　or　stagnation；　by　the　temperament　of　the　body；　by　its
  infection　or　freedom　from　disease　before　death。　Thus　it　is　evident
  that　we　can　assign　no　period；　with　any　thing　like　accuracy；　at　which
  the　corpse　shall　rise　through　decomposition。　Under　certain　conditions
  this　result　would　be　brought　about　within　an　hour；　under　others；　it
  might　not　take　place　at　all。　There　are　chemical　infusions　by　which
  the　animal　frame　can　be　preserved　foreverfrom　corruption；　the
  Bi…chloride　of　Mercury　is　one。　But；　apart　from　decomposition；　there
  may　be；　and　very　usually　is；　a　generation　of　gas　within　the　stomach；
  from　the　acetous　fermentation　of　vegetable　matter　（or　within　other
  cavities　from　other　causes）　sufficient　to　induce　a　distension　which
  will　bring　the　body　to　the　surface。　The　effect　produced　by　the　firing
  of　a　cannon　is　that　of　simple　vibration。　This　may　either　loosen　the
  corpse　from　the　soft　mud　or　ooze　in　which　it　is　imbedded；　thus
  permitting　it　to　rise　when　other　agencies　have　already　prepared　it
  for　so　doing；　or　it　may　overcome　the　tenacity　of　some　putrescent
  portions　of　the　cellular　tissue；　allowing　the　cavities　to　distend
  under　the　influence　of　the　gas。
  〃Having　thus　before　us　the　whole　philosophy　of　this　subject；　we　can
  easily　test　by　it　the　assertions　of　L'Etoile。　'All　experience　shows；'
  says　this　paper；　'that　drowned　bodies；　or　bodies　thrown　into　the
  water　immediately　after　death　by　violence；　require　from　six　to　ten
  days　for　sufficient　decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to　the
  top　of　the　water。　Even　when　a　cannon　is　fired　over　a　corpse；　and　it
  rises　before　at　least　five　or　six　days'　immersion；　it　sinks　again　if
  let　alone。'
  〃The　whole　of　this　paragraph　must　now　appear　a　tissue　of
  inconsequence　and　incoherence。　All　experience　does　not　show　that
  'drowned　bodies'　require　from　six　to　ten　days　for　sufficient
  decomposition　to　take　place　to　bring　them　to　the　surface。　Both
  science　and　experience　show　that　the　period　of　their　rising　is；　and
  necessarily　must　be；　indeterminate。　If；　moreover；　a　body　has　risen　to
  the　surface　through　firing　of　cannon；　it　will　not　'sink　again　if　let
  alone；'　until　decomposition　has　so　far　progressed　as　to　permit　the
  escape　of　the　generated　gas。　But　I　wish　to　call　your　attention　to　the
  distinction　which　is　made　between　'drowned　bodies；'　and　'bodies
  thrown　into　the　water　immediately　after　death　by　violence。'　Although
  the　writer　admits　the　distinction；　he　yet　includes　them　all　in　the
  same　category。　I　have　shown　how　it　is　that　the　body　of　a　drowning　man
  becomes　specifically　heavier　than　its　bulk　of　water；　and　that　he
  would　not　sink　at　all；　except　for　the　struggles　by　which　he　elevates
  his　arms　above　the　surface；　and　his　gasps　for　breath　while　beneath
  the　surface　…　gasps　which　supply　by　water　the　place　of　the　original
  air　in　the　lungs。　But　these　struggles　and　these　gasps　would　not　occur
  in　the　body　'thrown　into　the　water　immediately　after　death　by
  violence。'　Thus；　in　the　latter　instance；　the　body；　as　a　general　rule；
  would　not　sink　at　all　…　a　fact　of　which　L'Etoile　is　evidently
  ignorant。　When　decomposition　had　proceeded　to　a　very　great　extent　…
  when　the　flesh　had　in　a　great　measure　left　the　bones　…　then；　indeed；
  but　not　till　then；　should　we　lose　sight　of　the　corpse。
  〃And　now　what　are　we　to　make　of　the　argument；　that　the