Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-06-18
INTERESTING TO FATHERS.


The following account of an extraordina-
ry experiment recently made by parent
with his infant child, for the purpose of as
certaining whether he can dispense with
is taken from the Dublin EUensng
Mail:
The subject of the costume of the ancient
Britons has often been discussed; it has been
asserted that they were naked. Those who
opposed that view adduced as reasons the
GOODNESS and variable nature of the climate.
The question has been set at rest by an ex-
pertinent which has recently been made on
a child at St. Anne's Blarney, near Cork.
The child is fourteen months old, and the
son of Mr.. -, who determined to ascer-
tain what the human frame would bear
The child is perfectly naked, night and day;
he sleeps without any covering in room
with the thermometer at 38 degrees; from
this he goes into bath at 11S degrees; he
sometimes goes to sleep in the bath; he is
perfectly Indifferent to heat or cold; is live
ly, active, cheerful, and intelligent; his ap-
pearance constantly reminds the observer of
the best efforts Of our best painters and
sculptors Therein. is the beau ideal he is
the reality. His simple, natural, easy,
graceful, and ever-varying pastures, are
charming. He arrests the attention and
commands the admiration of all who see him.
The peculiar character of his skin is very
striking it is exquisitely healthy asd beau
tiful. It 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 manifesting any
of the sagreeable symptoms usual to child
rem in that condition. He appears to be
quite sensible to pain. Occasionally he has
an ugly fall but not a sound escapes from
his lips. His manners, demeaner, and gen
eral behaviour are equally striking: His
mode of saluting person is to take the hand
in graceful manner and kiss it. He is
under the complete control of his father,
and is perfectly quiet during meals, and also
when he is told to be so. He goes about all
day, amusing and occupying himself in a
quiet way. No one accustomed to children
would know there was child in the house.
So incredible are these results that some of
the residents at St. Anne's regard the whole
matter with mingled feelings of horror,
amusement, and wonder. Those who have
made careful observation for themselves
and prefer the evidence of their eyes rather
than their ears, 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 eternal question, "What will
Mrs. Grundy say?" -
We have received from correspondent
an extract from the journal kept by the ia
ther of the child. 49,,
''Dec. p, 1861 was about to begin
with self-reproaches for not having noted its
progress the steps of an experiment SO novel,
and its consequences so important; but the
fact is that [ was not aware that was max
ing an experiment until the thing was done
Henceforward shall record daily incidents
which may serve to illustrate the case, and
at an after period methodically treat it.
t'This day the outdoor laborers were en-
gagged in storing ice for the ice-house. The
child sleeps on the floor, on "a travelling rug
folded in four, the room without fire or car
pet, and is generally washed daily There
is large bow window to the north It is
the coolest room in the house He was put
to bed at half-past ten. He is without any
clothes or covering whatever At one o.
clock being unable to sleep, I was so cold
with three blankets that I had to put on a
fur cloak. The child walked up, and made
vehement appeals to be taken in. I took
him in. When was going to sleep myself,
[ told him to 60 to bed He moaned so
bitterly that [ apprehended that he feared
the cold. To test him [ got out of the bed
and lay down on his rug, (without clothes;)
he then would not remain moment in the
warm bed, but followed me to his pallet
He composed himself to sleep, lying like a
frog, and [ left him. When he came into
bed, [ was obliged to put blanket between
us for the bitter cold Of his limbs; but every
way that could arrange the clothes led to
no sign that he suffered from the cold or de-
sired the heat.
"To correct the frightful fits of crying he
used to have, and for another failing which
had ofnecessity to be put stop to, I had to
have recourse formerly to punishment by
shaking him, slapping him, and dipping
him in a trough of cold water. AS his frame
hardened under the action of cold and very
severe shampooing, punishment by these
processes became impossible.
He has two meals generally boiled
rice, which is put on napkin on the ground,
and he picks it up to the last grain. After
that, wheaton -four cake, with butter, and a
cup of milk, which he drinks. While eat
ing his rice helooks different being, there
is at once pride and enjoyment of perform
ance. He has the air of an orator address,
ing an audience.
During the day he goes to sleep when
he likes, merely lying down on the floor.