Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-12
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A STORY OF THE MICROSCOPE.


Some time ago, being in company with
a medical man, whom / will call Mr.. B.,
we fell into conversation on the use of the
microscope, in the management of which
he was an adept. Now" said he, I will
tell you story of what happened to my
elf.-One which, I think, will illustrate the
importance of this instrument to society,
though was put in a very unpleasant po-
sition, owing to my acquaintance with it.
81 have as you know, given a good deal
of attention to comparative anatomy, es-
pecially 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 different; the
white mans is round. the negro's oval, the
mouse's apparently jointed, the bats jag
ged, 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 thus
81 once received letter by post, con-
tanning few hairs, with request that
would examine them. and adding that they
would be called for in few days. Ac-
cordingly, submitted the hairs to the mi
croscope, when l discovered that they
were from the human eyebrow, and had
been bruised. / made q 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 stranger called
and inquired whether had made the in
vestigation. oh, yes said, there they
are, and you will find them and their de-
scription in this envelope handing it to
him at the same time. He expressed him
self as being much obliged, and offered
me a fee, which, however, / declined,
telling him that / could not think of tax
ing anything for no small matter.
1t turned out, however of more conse-
quence than had imagined, for within
week was served with a subpoena to at
tend 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: A man had been killed by
a blow from some blunt instrument on the
eyebrow, and the hairs sent to me for ex-
animation had been taken from hammer
in the possession of the suspected muir
derer. l was put in 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 sufficed to convict the prisoner.
The jury however. were not easily satis-
fed that my statement was worth any
thing; and it required the solemn assur-
ance of the judge that such a conclusion
was within the reach of science to con-
vince them that they might act upon it.
I'm ortio oil g,,
mer-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 could. .Well" said he, 'I'n
prove thee
1.-The prisoner, as l said, was convicted,
and l went home, and, in the busy life of
an extensive practice, forgot all about my
obstinate old farmer. About two years
atterward, however, a person, an utter
stranger to me, called on me with few
hairs screwed up in a piece of paper,
which he asked ME to examine and report
on.
''' Is this another murder case?' l in
quired; for if so, will have nothing to
do with it. I've had enough of that sort
of work.
No, no. said he, it is nothing of the
kind. 1t is only matter of curiosity,
which should be very much obigedif
you wonld 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 l had leisure
put the hairs under the microscope, and
soon discovered that they were taken from
the back of a Norway rat.
Two or three days afterward, as l was
sitting in my consulting room, an old far
mer looking man was ushered in. Well
said he, has thee looked at them hairs p
Yes. I answered, 'and l find that they
are from the back of Norway rat
We'll, exclaimed he, so they are. Thou
has forgotten me, but have not forgot
ten thee. Does thee recollect the trial
for murder at L-assizes? i said /
would prove thee and so 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 1, as
you may suppose, was well pleased that
my skill and sagacity had stood such a
queer proof as this. and more convinced
than ever of the value of the microscope
Here the doctor ended his story, which
/ have given as nearly as possible in his
own words, and upon which believe that
a thorough dependepce NAV he placed -