Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-09-15

list in the animal and human body, where il
floats about in the blood, making its most
striking appearance on the human hair Mr.
l.. goes on to make the most startling rcvela-
tons concerning the development of these
gregarnes into lice, taking liberties with
Darwinism, which would astonish the strong
est adhcrnts TO that theory. He states, also,
that tout of thirty samples of hair, obtained
from a hair dresser in Nishni Noogorod, gre
garines were found in seventy five per cent and
it is well known, that the hair used for the
chignons of the better half of Russia, is
bought of the poor peasant women, who are
proverbially of dirty habits" He concludes
by saving ''The most favorable conditions
for the growth Of gregarines, are, light, in
creased temperature, and a moist atmosphere
Just such conditions as are found in the
heated ball room"
These reports, on rearching England, be-
wildered the fashion worshippers OF the day,
in much the same manner, (and probably with
about the same degree of TRUTH as the re-
cent statements, concerning the jute insect
have affected the fair danes of our own To-
caity.
Now let Us hear the testimony of a noted
English physician, Tibury Fox, NJ. D., who.
for many years, has devoted his time and at
tention to the studies of diseases of the hair,
connected with the development of vegetable
parasites The results of his investigations,
in few words, are as follows; In the first
place, he has never found, in a long series of
microscopical observations, true gregarian
in connection with the hair, but he has dis
covered on false German hair, ga vegetable
growth answering in naked eye appearances,
to that described by Lindemann.' Then fol-
lows long and interesting illustrated descrp-
ton of the Fungus, which may be found in
''Hardwickes Science Gossip" FOR May. 1867,
or in the American Naturalist for the same
year. He entirely denies its animal nature,
and concludes by saying, that I'm the condi-
ton in which it is found on the hair, il need
cause but little anxiety, but in certain minute
forms, which it sometimes assumes, if trans
planted to IL favorable il,-and the heads of
delicate children best furnish it-would pro-
duce disease of the scalp" of this he has no
doubt, but he observes, that luckily, the
tissues of adults, viz, those who wear CHG
mons, are not susceptible to this sort of disease,
and as the mass of false hair worn in Eng
land is free from the Fungus, the danger on
the whole is slight"
But what has all this to do with jute Pos
sibly little, probably much. In tie first place,
we see how doctors disagree, and we see
show great matter a little fire kindleth.' |
am not aware that any one has ever proved
the existence of any parasite upon Jute,
whether animal or vegetable. and viewed in a
reasonable light the whole story seems very
improbable. Ii our physicians would do us
the favor to inv estgatc the matter, we think
it would be kind act, not only in relieving
the minds of those. who wish to make use of
the article in question: but also in silencing
those persons who, to answer their own ends,
have done much towards creating this panic,
and above all to increase the sum of general
intelligence, or more properly, common
sense, by crushing to the earth one more
popular fallacy.