Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-29
Miscellaneous.
Fitted to a Hair.

Fitted to a Hair.
SOME time ago, being in company with
medical man, whom I will call Mr.. R.
we fell into conversation ON the use of the
microscope, in the management of which
he was an adept. "Now,' said he, II will
tell you story Of what happened to my.
self-one which, / think, well illustrates
ciety, though was put in very unpleas-
ant position owing to my acquaintance
with it.
ae" haye; as you know, given good deal
Of attention to colnparatf4e anatomy, es.
pecially to the structure of the hair, as il
appears under the microscope. To the un-
assisted eye, indeeds all hair appears very
tnuch alike, except as Ii is 1oig or short,
dark or fair, straight or curly, coarse or
fine. Under the microscope, however, the
case is very different; the white mans is
round, the negfo's oval the mouse's appa-
tehtly jeinted, tie bats jagged, and go on.
Indeed, every animal has hair of pecu-
liar character, and, what is more, this cha
racter varies according to the part of the
body from which it is taken. an important
Circumstance, as VIII appear from my story,
whichsis this: -
Tonce received letter by post, con-
tanning few hairs with, a request that l
would examine them, and adding that they
would be called for in a few days. Ac-
eordinglg, submitted the hairs to the mi
Groscope, when discovered that they
were from the human eyebrow, and had
been bruised. / madeaa note to this effect,
afid folded 1t up with the hairs in an envel,
ope, ready for the person who had sent
them. In few days a stranger called and
inquired whether | had made the investi-
CATION. Oh, yes, said, there they are,
and you will find them and their descrip-
ton in this envelope handing it to him at
the same time. He expressed himself as
being much obliged, and offered me fee,
which, however, 1 declined, telling him
that could not think of taking ANYTHING
for so small a matter.
1t turned, out, however, of more con-
sequence than I had imagined, for within
D week / was served with subpoena, to
attendas.a witness On a trial for nsu7Ier
This was very disagreeable, as have said,
but there was no help for it now. The
case was this: A man had been killed by
blow from some blunt instrument-on the
eyebrows, and the hairs sent to me for ex-
animation had been taken from hammer
In the possession of the suspected mur-
AStSi. was put lutO Inc W1ln6SS- DOX,
and my testimony, that the hairs were
from the human eyebrow, and had been
bruised was just the link in the chain of
evidence which sufficed to convict the
prisoner. The jury, however, were not
easily satisfied that my statement was
worth anything; and it required the
solemn assurance of the judge that such a
conclusion was within the reach of
science, to convince them that they might
act upon it..
One juryman in particular-an old
tarmer-was very hard to satisfy. Does
thee mean to say said he, that thee can
tell any hair of any animal?' I answered
that would not take upon myself to as
sert positively that could do SO, although
believed could. WELL said he, I'll
prove thee
The prisoner, as I said, was convicted,
aud, in the busy life of an extensive prac.
tice, forgot all about my obstinate old
farmer, About two years afterward, how.
ever, person, an utter stranger to me-
called on me with few hairs screwed UP
In piece Of paper, which he asked me to
examine and report on.
Is this another murder case? p I in
quired; for if SO, will have nothing to
do with it. I've had enough of that sort
of werk.' !;
No no. said he, 6 it is nothing of the
kind. It is only matter of curiosity,
which should be very much obliged if
you would solve; and if you will do it, l
will call or send for the result of your ex-
animation in few days time Having
received this assurance, I undertook the
investigation.
:" When ne was gone, and I had leisure
put the hairs under the microscope, and
soonsdiscoyered that they were taken from
the back of a Norway rat.
Two or three days afterward, as was
sitting in my consulting room, an old
farmer looking man was ushered in
We'll, said he, has thee looked at them
hairsf'
Yes answered, and find that they
are from the back of Norway rat.
Well exclaimed he so they are. Thou
hast forgotten me, but have not forgot
ten thee. Does thee recollect the trial fol
murder at L--- assiZes? I said
would prove thee, and I have, for then
hairs come from the back of a rats Skin
my son sent me from Norway So thu
old gentleman was quite satisfied with tht
proof to which he had put me, and I, a
you may suppose, was well pleased tina
my skill and sagacitY had stood such
queer proof as this, and more convinced
than ever of the value of the micro
scope" .-
Here the doctor ended his story, which
l have given as nearly as possible in mi
own words, and upon which I believe tina
thorough dependence may be placed
journal Of Microscopy.