Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-06-23
ALRINOS.

ALBINOS.
This term was originally applied to certain
Negroes found in Africa, who have light hair,
blue eyes, and skins of pale and livid white
ness. Their eyes are SO delicate that they
can hardly see any object in the day, or bear
the rays Of the sun, and yet, when the moon
shines they see as well and run through the
deepest shades of their forests, with as much
ease and activity as other men do in the bright
est day light. Their complexion is delicate,
they are less robust and vigorous than other
men they generally sleep in the day, and go
abroad in the night. 1t was for time SUBJ
ject of dispute whether these men were a per.
manent and distinct variety Of the human
race, or merely individuals accidentally vary
ing from the usual characteristics Of their spe-
cies. 1t was found however that the same
thing occurred in Java, in Ceylon, and among
The copper coloured Indians about the isthmus
of Darien, and it has long since been ascertain
cd that this peculiarly is merely accidental,
and not confined, as was formerly supposed, to-
Negroes and Indians alone, but that it occurs
occasionally among whites also, with this diff
terence, that the eyes of the Negro Albinos are
blue and their hair is light coloured, while a.
mong the whites the iris of the eye is rose col
,oured, and the pupil, when viewed in tbe
light, is red, and their hair is often times per
fcctly white.
Several accounts of Albinos among the
whites are on record, among the first of which
is that Of two brothers at Chamouni, mention
cd by NJ. Saussure. elm their infancy, their
hair, eye brows, eye lashes, and the down up
on their skin, were very fine and Of perfect
milk white colour; but at the age Of 90 their
hair was Of reddish cast and more strong.
Their sight was also strengthened, and, even
in their infancy, was not much offended by the
light OF the day. The same author mentions
4 woman of Milan who had seven sons, OF
whom, the two eldest and the two youngest
had brown hair and black eyes; the other
three had white skins, white hair, and red
eyes.
Five instances OF Albinos have come within
our knowledge. Two of then, were daueh-
tcrs ola relation of the writer of this article,
and have been dead several years. The third
was the celebrated Miss Hervey, from England,
who was exhibited in many parts of the United
States, a few years since, under the appella-
ton Of the beautiful Albiness." She was
afterwards married in the West Indies and
died there. The other two were brothers, in
the southern part of Connecticut, with one of
whom we were slightly acquainted. He was
genteel in his manners, well informed, intell-
gent and sociable, which, combined with the
peculiarly of. his appearance, excited an in
terest such as is rarely felt towards stranger.
His beard, which was thick and strong, and his
hair were of a snowy wilderness, and would
have given him the venerable APPEARANCE Of
four score, were il not that bis delicately fair
complexion, and his plump and unfurrowed
cheek, had the youthful look of twenty one.
1t was difficult TO reconcile the idea, that that
face and that hair and beard should belong to
the same person. A rose bush, padding and
Towering IN the midst of the SHOWS of winter,
would not have appeared more singular. An
almost uncomfortable desire was felt to rest the
eye upon him, and nothing bat regard to de-
cency and good manners would have restrain
ed it. His eyes were SO delicate that he con-
stantly wore green spectacles closely fitted to
them.
Although the causes Of this phenomenon
have been subject of considerable inquiry,
il remains to be one of those anomalies in ma
ture, of which we have determined nothing
but their existence, and yet affords matter for
curious speculation and investigation TO the
scientific world