The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-05-30
Queer Proof.

Some time ago, bein' in company with
medical man, whom I will call Mr.. B.,
We fell into conversation on the uses Of
the microscope, in the management of
which he was an adept.
Now said he, I will tell you story
of what happened to myself--one of
which, th,nk, we'll illustrates the
Importance Of this instrument to society,
though I was put in very unpleasant
position, owing to my acquaintance with
it.
i hare, as you know, given gool
deal OF attention to comparative auatomy,
especially to the structure of the b air
as it appears under the microscope. To
the unasss!cd eye, indeed, ali bair ap
pears very much alike, except as it is
long or short, dark or fair, straight or
curly, coarse or fine. Under the micro
scope, however, tho case is very differ
ent /; the white mans round, the negroes
oval, The mousc's apparently jointel,
the bats Jagged, and so on. Indeed,
every animal has hair of peculiar
character, and what is more, this char
acter varies according to the part Of the
body from which it is takcn-au impor
tant circumstance, as will appear from
my story, which is thus:
L once received letter by post,
containing few hairs, with request
that | would examine them, and adding
that they would be called for in few
days: Aossardinsiy, / submitted the
! ! hairs to the H'Ssscne when L din
covered that they wefts> from the hum. =
eyebrow, and had been bruised-I mado
note to this effect, and folded tim
with the i'nirs in an envelope ,-rcady for
the person who SCH. them. In ! few
days stranger called aud inquire
whether | had made the invests, .,ation.
oh, yes, | said there they are, and
you will find them, aud their description,
in this envelope, handing i, to him at
the same time
He expressed himself as being much
Obliged, aud offered me fee, whi,h,
however, declined, telling him tha. 1
could not thiuk Of takina anything for
SO small mater.
1T turned out, however, of moro
consequence than l had imagined; for
within week l was served with
supocna as witness on trial of murder
This was very disagreeable, as have
said, but there was no help for it now
The case was this: 4 man had been
killed by blow, from some blunt
instrument, on tho eyebrows, and the
hairs sent to me for examination had
been taken from hammer in the
possession Of the Suspected murderer. I
was put in the witness box, and my testi
mony, that tho hairs were from the hu
man eyebrow, and had been bruised, ;
was just the link in the chain of evidence
which suficed to convict the prisoner.
The jury, however, were not easily salts
lied that my statement was worth any
thing; and it required the solemn assur
ancc of the judge thas such conclusion
was within the reach of science to con
vince them that they might act upon
} it.
'One juryman in particular an old
farmer-was hard to satisfy.
Does the mean to say said he, 'that
thee eau tell any hair Of any animal 2
i answered that l would not take
upon myself to assert positively that
could do SO, although l believe l could
w ell, said he, 'I'll prove thee
'The prisoner, as said was convicted
and went home, aud in the busy life
of an extensive practice, forgot all about
my obstinate old farmer. Two years
afterward, ho"evor, porson, 90 uttcr
stranger to Inc, called on inc with few
hairs screwed up 10 pie,e Of paper,
which be asked me to examine and
report on.
'ls this another murder case p
inquired for if 80, will have nothing
to do with isj I've had enough of that
sort of work
, No, no., said ho, sit is nothing Of tho
r kind. 1t is only matter of curiosity
which l would be. much obliged if you
, would solve; aud if you will do il, l
will call or send for the result Of your
examination in lew days time