The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-07-26
Fitted tOa Hair.

the microscope, in the management Of
which lie was ah Adept. "NOw;" saId
he; " will tell you story OF what hap
Rehed to nSseif-One which, think, well
Illustrates The Importance of this instru-
mcnt to society, though Vas put In q
very unpleasant position owing to my ac-
quaintance with it.
~ have, rs you know, given a good
deal OF attention TO comparative anatomy,
especially IN the structure OF tie hair as
it appears under the microscope To the
unasSisted eye, indeed, all hair appears
very much alike, except MS it is long or
short, dark or fair, straight or curly. fine
or coarse. Under the MicsSs6SSSe, Sow-
ever, the case is very uiaseqce tlse white
mans is found the negrd's Is bvAij the
mouses; apparently, joInted the bats
Jagged, and SO oil. Indeed, every animal
has hair Of peculiar character, and
- '~c~'~ '"'- -',.4 ; -n~~i ~ -. D..
cording to the part of the body from
which it is taken-an important circun-
stance, as will appear from my story,
which is this:
once received letter by post, con.
tanning few hairs, with a request that
would examine THEM, and adding, that
they wotld be called for ip few days
Accordingly, submitted the hairs TO the
microscope; when discovered that they
were froti1 the htiman eyebrow; and had
been bruised: | made note to this ef-
feet and folded 1t up with the hairs In an
envelopes ready for the person who had
sent theth. In few days, stranger
eH'icd and inquired whether had mXae
the Investigation. 'Oh, yes said,
there they are; you will find them and
their description in the envelope hand
ing it to him at the same time. lie ex.
pressed himself as being much obliged,
and offered me fee, which, however, !
declined, telling him that | could not
think of taking anything for so small
matter.
1t turned out, however; OF ttiote con.
sequence than had Imagined, for within
a week ! was served with a subpoena to
attend as witness OH Il trial for murder.
This was very disdgrGeable, as have said;
but there was h6 help for 1t now. The
case was this: A man had been killed by
blow with sonic blunt instrument on
the eyebrow; and the hairs sent TO me for
e%amihatl6n had been taken from ham
Trcr in the hands of the suspected mur-
dercr: was put in the witness box, and
my testimony, that the hairs were from
the human eyebrow, and had been bruis
ed, was just the link in the chain Of evil
dcncc which Sufficed to convict the pris-
oner. The jury, however, were not east
ly satisfied that my statement was worth
anything; and it required the solemn as.
surance of the judge that such cOnclu-
sion was within the reach Of science. to
convince them that they might act upoh
it.
"One juryinan, in particuar-an old
tarmer-was very hard TO satisfy. Does
thee mean to say, sad he, that thee can
tell any hair Of any animalY' answered
that would not take upon myself to an
swer positively that could. We'll, said
he. IN prove thee
"Thc prisoner, as said, was convicted,
and ! went home, and, in the busy life of
an extensive practice, forgot all about my
obstinate old farmer. About two years
afterwards; however; person, an utter
stranger to me; called on nie; with few
hairs screwed up In piece Of paper,
which he asked me to examine and report
upon.
Is this another murder casc?' en-.
quired for, if it is, will have nothing
to do with it. I've had enough of that
sort Of work.
40 No, NOT said he; 1T is nothing of
the kind, It's only Il matter of curiosity,
which | should he very much obliged if
you would solve; and if you will do II,
will call or send for the result Of Ypur cx
animation In a few days time Having
received this ASSURANCE, | undertook the
investigation.
when he had gone, and had leisure,
put the hairs under the microscope, and
soon discovered that they were taken from
the back OF a Norway rat.
1.-Two or three days afterwards, as I
was sitting in my consultation room, an
old farmer looking man was ushcrcl in.
Well, said he, has thee looked at them
hairs.'
"' Yes answered, 'and find that
they arc from the back of Norway rat
Well.' exclaimed he, so they arc. Thou
hast forgotten me but have not forgot
ten thee. Does thee recollcct the trial
for murder at Lincoln AssiEes? said
would prove thee; and SO have, for them
hairs came from the back of rats skin
sent me from Norway So the old gen
tlenan was quite satisfied with the proof
to which he had put mc, and !, as you
may suppose, was well pleased that my
skill and sagacity had stood such queer
proof as this, and more convinced than
ever of the value of the microscope"
Here the DIR. ended his story, which
have given as nearly as possible in his own
words, and upon which believe, tho
rough dependence may be placed.
a New NAME FOR Ir.-Not long Sincca
! gentleman of come note as Il politician