Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-07-06

SOME time ago, being in company with
medical man, whom | 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, Il will
tell you story Of what happened TO my
self--one which, think, well illustrates
the importance of this instrument to so
ciety, though was put in very unpleas
ant position owing to my acquaintance
with it.
81 have, as you know, given good deal
Of attention to comparative anatomy, es
! pecially to the structure Of the hair, as it
| APPEARS under the microscope. To the I'M
assisted eye. indeed, all hair appears very
much alike, except as il is long 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 negro's oval, the mouse's appa-
rently jointed, the bats jagged, and so 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 will appear from my story,
which is this:
81 once received letter by post, con-
tanning a few hairs, with request that |
would examine them, and adding that they
would be called for in few days. Ac-
cordngly, submitted the hairs to the mi
croscope, when / discovered that they
were from the human eyebrow, and had
been bruised. made note to this effect
and folded it up with the hairs in an envel-
ope ready for the person who had sent
them In few days stranger called and
inquired whether had made the investi-
CATION. ooh, 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 a fee,
which, however, / declined, telling him
that | could not think Of taking anything
for so small matter.
at turned out, however, of more con-
sequence than / had imagined, for within
| a week was served with a subpoena, to
attend as witness On trial for murder.
! This was very disagreeable, az l have said,
| but there was no help for it now. The
case was this A man had been killed by
| a blow from some blunt instrument on the
eyebrows, and the hairs sent to me for ex-
animation had been taken from hammer
ia the possession of the suspected MUIR
derer. ( was put into the witness box,
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 sufiiced 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
conclusion was within the reach of
science, to convince them that they might
act upon 1t.
"One juryman in particular-an old
farmer-was very hard to satisfy. Does
thee mean to say said he, that thee can
tell any hair of any animal?' l answered
that would not take upon myself to as
sert positively that could do so, although
believed l could. WE'LL said he, I'll
prove thee
"The prisoner, as said, was convicted,
and, in the busy life of an extensive prac
tice, forgot oil 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.
90 Is this another murder casey | in
quired; for If so, will have nothing to
do with it. I've had enough of that sort
Of work
g" No no. said he, 1T is nothing Of the
kind. It is only matter of curiosity,
which should be very much obliged ii
you would solve; and If you will do it,
will call or send for the result of your ex-
animation in few days time Having
received this assurance, | undertook the
investigation.
. when he was gone. and had leisure.
put the hairs under the microscope, and
; soon discovered that they were taken from
: the back of Norway rat.
1.-TWO or three days afterward, as was
sitting in my consulting room, an old
farmer looking man was ushered in.
+ Well, said he, has thee looked at them
, hairs,'
/ eyes answered, and find that they
: are from the back of Norway rat.
I Well, exclaimed he so they are. Thou
! hast forgotten me. but have not forgot
r ten thee. Does thee recollect the trial for
| murder at L. assizes! / said I
| would prove thee, and | have, for them
. hairs come from the back of rats skin
: my son sent me from Norway So the
, old gentleman was quite satisfied with the
proof to which he had put me, and I, as
, you may suppose, was well pleased that
. my skill and sagacitv had stood such a
: queer proof as this, and more convinced
!. than ever Of the value Of the micro
scope"
e Here the doctor ended his story, which
| have given as nearly as possible in mis-
, own words, and upon which believe that
: a thorough dependence may be placed.
LouruL Of NIrrosroon