The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-06-28

Some time ago, being in company with a
medical man, whom will call Mr.. B., we
fell into conversation on the uses of the mi
croscope, in the management of which he
was an adept. "Now," said he, 81 will tell
you story of what happened to myself-one
which, think, well illustrates the import
ance OF this instrument to society, though 1
was put in very unpleasant position, owing
to my acquaintance with it,
have, as you know, given good deal of
attention to comparative anatomy, especially
to the structure of the hair as it appears
under the microscope. To the unassisted
eye, indeed, all hair appears very much alike,
except as it is long or short, dark or fair,
straight or curly, coarse or fine. Under the
microscope, however, the case is very differ
ent; the white mans is round, the neero's
oval, the mouse's apparently jointed, the bats
jagged, and so on. Indeed, every animal has
hair OF peculiar character, and, what is
more, this character 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 containing
few hairs, with the request that would
examine them, and adding that they would
be called for in a few days. Accordingly l
submitted the hairs TO microscope, when
1 discovered that they were from the human
eyebrow, and had been bruised 1 made a
note to this effect, and folded it with the hairs
in an envelope, ready for the person who had
sent them. In few days stranger called
and inquired whether l had made the inves-
tigation, "Oh, yes" l said, "there they are,
and you will find them and their description
in this envelope" handing it to him at the
same time. He expressed himself as being
much obliged, and offered me fee, which,
however, declined, telling him that could
not think OF taking anything for SO small a
matter.
1t turned out, however, of more conse-
quence than l had imagined, for within a
week was served with a subpoena to attend
as witness on trial for murder. This was
very disagreeable, as have said, but there
was no help for it now. The case was this:
man had been killed by blow from some
blunt Instrument on the eyebrow, and the
hairs sent 10 me for examination had been
taken from a hammer in the possession of
the suspected murderer. | was put in the
,r,fness how AND ar.;.s.--y ,--sfsi-t- 81
hairs were from the human eyebrow, and
had been bruised,' was just the link i'm 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 assur-
ance OF the judge that such conclusion was
within the reach OF science to convince them
that they might. act upon it.
"One luryman 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 1 would not
take upon myself to assert positively that
could do so, although believed could
Wen, said he, 1'ii prove thee.'
The prisoner, as ] said, was convicted. and
l went home, and in the busy life of an ex.
tensve practice, forgot all about my obstinate
old farmer. About two years afterward,
however, person, an utter stranger to me,
called on ME with a few hairs screwed up in
piece of paper, which he asked me to exam
ile and report on.
rs this another murder case?" inquired;
"ior IT so, will have nothing to DO with it,
I've had enough of that sort OF work."
mo, no." said he, 'it is nothing of the kind
1t is only matter of curiosity, which l should
be very much obliged ii you solve; and if
you will do it will call or send for the result
OF your examination in a few days time
uavins received this assurance, undertook
the investigation.
VIXEN ne was gone and had leisure put
the hairs under the microscope, and soon dis
covered that they were taken from The back
OF Norway rat.
Two or three days afterward as L was sit
ting in my consulting room, an old farmer
looking man was ushered in. 'Well,' said he.
has thee looked at them hars?'
Yes l answered, 'and L find that they
are from the back OF a Norway rat well,
exclaimed he, so they are. Thou has for
gotten me, bu; l have not forgotten thee.
Does thee recollect the trial for murder at
L. assizes? said would prove thee, and
so have, for them hairs come from the back
of a rats skin my son sent me from Norway
So the old gentle an was quite satisfied with
the proof to which he had put me, and |, as
you may suppose, was well pleased that my
skill and sasacily had stood such a queer
proof as this, and more convinced than ever
of the value of the MICROSCOPIC"
Here the doctor ended his story which /
have given as nearly as possible in his own
words, and upon which believe that thor
ough dependence may be placed.-Journat of
Microscopy.