, 1874-08-22
ONE OF NATURE's-W WONDERS.
a worm tltnt uorcB Through sl,e
EaardcAt 1eocik--.A WIfch.Docfor,s

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,Berls County tpa.} Letter to Ne,c FORT Sim.
tliHcoYery Wo hayo made here In tho a[apb ar q
burrowlng- worm tllat Wo find along Tia 'numnr,
. Gus stretches Of hard. sharp and brittle aand,
te aGeve sodto .ao ,Gasos o. nnty stone that
deot bolow tho surface. They average from to
inches III length, md nro about tie eizn of 4
pipe-ston In their largest parta Their ,colori ID
t'ark gray, and THO skin very nearly NJ tough AZ
grees lighter in ahado and ridge Of rough ribs
oxte''ds along their upderedea. about inches.
Ouo inch Of their tails> ii hard, and
much resembles q bono. Their lsads arc small
9lltl very ahatp. Two small black eyoa are sunk
deep in their hoads, md their noses arc hard and
gony. Undoubtedly they are the most muscular
little reptile living. In a ;narrow :atrip Of sand
depoait IN this aectlon Of tho township, about
hall milo ,norsh Of tho Post1O Glice. we found
conntlsss thouaands OF these worms burrowing
in tho Hand: With the hid OF soveral farm IT,
horora we throw up a quantity Of uand aud dug
down about feet until we oame to hard rock.
upon cioao examination, wo found tho rock
literaiy drilled through In hundreds Of places.
Tlo llolea 'wero tho o1act aize Of thoHo worms.
and to further prove that they n'ore tho solo
md only chllso OF this most singular state Of
atrairs, nany Of the holes wore punotured and
worms wisitrawn from them., By great effort,
o ploce of tho 'bowldcr, md found It drilled
through and through in tlfty.seven distinct
placos. Tho holes Wero drilled With AZ mucn
regularity and evonneas az it the work had been
done by man, ait1el By tho best and most In
proved machinery. We placoa Beyoral wortrs
under tue microscope, nnd- found their bodies 1
perfect network Of atrong aud bbrouB 1luscIos
concentrating az point on tho baek about mid.
way botWeen the head and tail. Their noscB arc
strong bono Of aintY AardiieSs, and Hitt, these
they are nblB to work their way through tbs
hardest bowlder.
Tho people III this section aro awaro Of The ex-
istenco of tho worm, but not OF fty wonderful
charncteristica. Several old women heteabouts
have long H&noe used ltB body for medicinal pur.
poses. A certain old Indy BY the name Of tar+
rich who resided in tho mountains several mtes
from here, llus the reputation Of being what ia
commonly clllod witcil-uoctor. lSho employs ali
RortB Of agencies to effect her cures aud am told
she is yisited by greut many people for milca
around, who como to be treated for various dis.
oaBes. Sho placcH great rcliance upon the
curative gualites.o of thls worm, Which sAo calls
tho "novar.enling lesh.", Sho says B!le has
used tho dried carcass Of sheso worms many
times. shewoa ring mndo Of ono, and aveta
tlat anybody wearing one will never Huifor
rhennlatism. Earrings Inade Of thom will pro-
won't oarache aud headache, and necklace made
OF thaaa will cure OF prevent . aore throat. Sho
has long chain malo Of dried aud preserved
carcassos of $50 Of the roptilos. This wound
around tho body next to tho skin will euro
crampa. Mrs. Darrioh placoa great reliance on
thls'oure, and sue haB froquoutly taken powdered
WeSrns md scasdel them with hot tansy ten to
administer Internally for tho euro OF: consump.
ton md pulmonary. discusses.