Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-06-26
Interesting to Fathers of Families.


| IL
The following account of an extraor
dinary experiment recently made by ;
parent with his infant child, for tn,
purpose of asccrtaining whether he car
dispense with clothing, is taken from
the Dublin Euening Mail.
The subject of the costume of the an.
cient Britons has often been discussed
1t has been asserted that they were naked.
Those who opposed that view adduced as
reasons the GOODNESS and variable nature
Of the cline. The question has been
set at rest by an experiment which has re-
Gently been made on child at St. Anne's,
Blarney. near Cork. The child is four
teen months old, and is the son Of Mr..
-, who determined to ascertain what
the human frame would bear. The
child is perfectly naked nigh. and day !;
he sleeps without any covering, in a room
with the thermometer at 38 degrees;
from this he goes into a bath at llS
degrees /; he sometimes goes to sleep in
the bath: he is perfectly Indifferent to
heat or cold is lively. active, cheerful,
and intelligent; his appearance constant
ly reminds the observer Of the best efforts
of our best sculptors. Therein is the
beau ideal he is the reality. His sim
pie, natural easy, graceful, and
ever-varying postures, are charm
ming. He arrests the attention
and commands the admiration of all
who see him. The peculiar character
of his skin is very striking it is exquis-
itely healthy and beautiful. 1t may
be compared to the rays of the sun
streaming through painted window.
During the progress Of the experiment
he has cut three teeth without manifest
ing any of the disag-eeable symptoms
usual to children in that condition.
He apears to be quite insensible to pain.
Occasionally he has an ugly fall, but
not sound escapes from his lips
His manners, demeanor, and general
behavior are equally striking. His
mode ofsaluting person is to take the
hand in graceful manner and kiss it.
He is under the complete control of
his father. and is quiet during meals.
and also whenever he is told to be So
He goes about all day, amusing and
occupying himself in quiet way. No
one acoustic mel to children would know
there was child in the house. So
incredible are these results that some of
the residents at St. Annes regard the
whole matter with mingled feelings Of
horor, amazement, and wonder. Those
who have made careful observation for
themselves and prefer the evidence of
their eyes rather than their cars, see
nothing but to admire and respect. No
doubt some of them would even go so far
as to repeat the experiment on their
own children, were it not for the fear OF
that question, "Whst will Mrs. Grundy
say"
We have received from correspond
ent an extract from the journal kept by
the father of the child:
"Dec. 27. 1861 was about to be-
gin with self-reproaches for not having
noted during its progress the steps OF an
experiment so novel, and its consc-
ouences so important !; bat the fact is
that was not aware thatI was making
an experiment until the thing was done,
Henceforward | shall record daily Incl
dents which may serve to illustrate the
case and at an after period methodically
treat it.
This day the out door laborers wert
engaged in storing ice for the ice house
The child sleeps on the floor. on trav
elling rug folded in four, the room with
ont fire or carpet, and is generally wash
ed daily. There is large bow window
to the north. 1t is the coldest room il
the house. He was put to bed at half
past ten. He is without any clothes ol
covering whatever. At one o'clock be-
ing unable to sleep. was so cold witt
three blankets tha, had to put on fu
cloak. The child walked up, and made
vehement appeals to be taken in.
took him in. When | was going tt
sleep myself. l told him to 60 to bed
He noaned so bitterly that apprehen
ded that he feared the cold. To ties
him 90. out of the bed and lay dow
on his rug. (without clothes y he ther
would not remain moment in the warn
bed, but followed me to his pallet. HI
composed himself to sleep. lying like ;
frog, and left him. When he came
into bed, l was obliged to put blanke
between us, for the bitter cold of hi
limbs; but every way that l could ar
range the clothes led to no sign that h,
suffered from the cold or desired tht
heat.
"To correct the frightful fits Of crying
he used to have, and for another failing
which had of necessity to be sput a stop to
l had to have recourse formerly to pun
ishment by shaking him, slapping him
and dipping him in trough CT cold wa.
ter. As his frame hardened under the
action of cold and very severe shampoo
ing. punishment BY these processes be.
came impossible.
"He has two meals-generally boiled
rice. which is put on napkin on the
ground, and he picks 1t up to the last
grain. After that, wheaton -four cake
with butter. and cup of milk, which he
drinks. While eating his rice he looks
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