Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-07-12
FITTED TO A HAIR.
The Story Of a Microscope

-----, we fell into conversation on the
uses of the microscope, in the management
OF which he was an adept. now said
he, II will tell you - story of what hap
pened to myself-one which, think, well
illustrates the Importance of this instru-
ment to sociesy, though l was put in a
very unpleasant position owing to my nc
quaintance with it,
Il 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 miscroscope. 70 the
unassisted eye, indeed, all hair appears
very much alike, except as it is long OF
or fine. Under the microscope, however.
the case. is very different the white mans
Is round, the negro's oval, the mouses APP
parently jointed, the bats Jagged, and so
on. Indeed, every animal has hair of q
peculiar character, and, what is more, this
character varies according to the part of
the body from which it is taken-an i'm
portant circumstance, as will appear from
my story, which is this:
81 once received a letter by post, con-
tanning few hairs, with a request that /
would examine them, and adding that
they would be called for in a few DAYS
Accordingly, | submitted the hairs to the
microscope, when l 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 en-
velope, ready for the person who had sent
them. In few days a stranger called and
inquired whether had made the inVesti-
CATION. oh, yes l 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
rs being much obliged, and offered me n
fee, which, however | declined telling
Ia ~ a ;,,I- oc tai
thing for so small n matter
" 1t turned out, however, of more conse-
quence than l had imagined, for, within a
week, | was served with u subpoena to at
tend as witness on a trial for murder.
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 eyebrow,
and the hairs seut to me for examination
had been taken from hammer in the pos
session of suspected murderer. l was put
into the witness box, and my testimony,
that the hairs were from the human. eye
brow, and had been bruised was inst the
link in the chain of evidence which suf-
feed to convict the prisoner. The jury,
however, were not easily satisfied that my
statement was worth anything and it re-
quired the solemn assurance of the Judge
that such conclusion was within the
reach of science to convince them that they
might act upon it,
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 animal2' l answered
that l would not take upon myself to as
sert positively that could do so, although
l believed 1 could. Well said he, 'rll
prove thee"
1.-THE 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 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 in
quired; for if so, will have nothing to
do with it, I've had enough of that sor;
| of work.
ono, no. said he, its nothing of the
kind. 1t is only matter of curiosity
which ! should he very much obliged il
you would solve; and il you will do it, l
| will call or send for the result OF your eX-
animation in "a few days time
Having received this assurance / I'M
dertook the investigation.
"When he was gone and had leisure,
put the hairs under the microscope, and
soon discovered that they were taken from
| tlle DdCh Oi " INOTWhy Tut.
1.-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'a them
| hairs2"
"'Yes,' 1 answered, and find that they
are from the back of Norway rat We'll,
| exclaimed he, so they are. Thou hast
| forgotten me, but / have not forgotten
thee. Does the recollect the trial for muir.
| der at I4---assiZes? / said | would
prove thee, and so L have, for them hairs
| come from the back of a rats skin my son
sent me from Norway So the old gen,
tleman was quite satisfied with the prooi
TO which he had put me, and l. AS you
may suppose: was well pleased that my
skill aud sagaclty had stoou such queer
| proof as this, and more convinced than
| ever of the value of the microscope"
Here the Doctor ended his story, which
| | have given rs nearly as possible in biz
own words, and upon which l believed {
thorough dependence may be placed.
The only three cities on the globs posi-
| tive known TO contain over l 900, 900 in
habitants are London, Paris and New
| York, (ncluding Brooklyn,) the reported
population of Y edo, Pekin and othel
heather centers having been proved to bC
| wildly exaggerated. Berlin, ST. Peters
| burg, Naples and Vienna do not differ very
widely in population, though the PrussiaI
capital isgrowing more rapidly than any
| of the other elties and is probably the
largest by 10000 to 5o,000.
In order to prevent the Introduction int