New-York tribune., 1876-10-12
HUMAN TIVISECTION.

1t is amazing to what lengths some men will
go, in their devotion to science. The end
hallows the means and if, few years hence,
highwayman should say, " Give up your
gold-I require it for analysis y he may claim
TO be n scientist suddenly impressed by new
mctallurgical idea, and so escape conviction
Every weekday, every day-brings forth its
surprise. and we shall soon be beyond
the point where we can be materially
startled. Nevertheless, the point Is not yet
reached. for a circular addressed "TO Leading
Americans" and signed by "Prof. Natu-
"ral Science, sometime Instructor In Mental
"Scicnce" in a Western university, proposes
to set III operation n scheme OF human viVl-
section physiological, mental, and psychical,
such as has never vet been applied. The prof.
Natural Science" refers his anticipated victims
| to Gaton and DE Candolle for the plan OF the
work fe mcditatcs, but he goes far beyond
those Sdrnnts (as he spells the word) IN his
design. " For the purposes OF Education ana
" IIistoryr he says, addressing the Leading
Americans, "many events, thoughts, ana I'M
"preSsions of your LIVES ought to be known"
Therefore he has prepared schedule of 123
ouc,tions, some of them involving double
and triple answers, so that he may ac-
auire direct information upon not less
than $50 vital characteristics of the Leading
Americans nature. The circular, we presume,
will be gent to about 2j,0OO indiyidualS-in
fact, there are more than that number who
would accept the address, unaccompanled by
any name-and the most of them VIII OF
course make haste to answer
Many of the questions are enigmatical, not
10 say mysterious; but, coming from n
"Prof. Natural Science" they cannot, OF
course. be other than scientific. Before asking
Them he says, with a sOlemnity which strikes
a shudder through the unsOphiSticated mind:
"Givc me i'm each answer, if possible, instances,
"examples anecdotes, facts reasons, particular
"izr the cause. increase decrease of any feeling,
"tendency to anything, also the degree OF en-
"crgy in rs many cases as possible Feelings
see directions for tablc); rate also the degree
"of energy (attentbon) which rises in answering
each question, placing it at the right OF the
"pagcr Here the qucstOncc is evidently ex-
pccted to sit with finger on pulse,
noting the degree of "cncrgy (atten-
tion)r which rises in answering each
qucston-or perhaps the better plan would
be- 10 call in the family physician. We are
afraid that very few of the $1,000 Leading
Americans would bc able, without professional
assistance, To "particularze the cause, increase,
decrease of any feeling, tendency TO any
thing" On turning to the feelings see
" directions for table," we tird that the scale
Of emotion must be determined by means of
pot of water and Thermometer. This hints
of something exact and positive, such
as might be expected from Prol.
Natural Science;" and indeed, the prac-
teal directions which he gives are sufficiently
explicit. "Takc two vessels of water" he
says; heat the first till il is neutral, that Is
"neithcr warm nor cold to the hand when
plunged in To the thumb and moved always
I" to and fro in the water for three or four
seconds. Rate the temperature of water by
thermometer. Next heat the other vessel till
the sensation of heat lin the hand moved
back and forth every four or six seconds
" from the last to the first vesscD reaches the
same degree in consciousness rs the energy
"you want to measure Nothing could be
clearer. If the question asked should be
Amount of physical energy you add hot or
cold water until it corresponds with your
consciousness, and then note the temperature.
Should it be Energy of mind" you may
safely approach the boiling point; but there
are other questions such as " Political bias!'
which admit of y great variety of tcmpcra-
ture, according to times and circumstances. A
Democrat in Indiana, to-day. for instance,
would make very different thcrmOmetrical
record from Republican in Colorado.
In order to test the new theory, and furnish
the "PrOf. Natural Science with immediate
results, we sent the list of questions to II
Leading American, wh0 after having procured
two vessels of water and a thermometer, was
enabled to answer the greater portion. The
entire list is too long TO quote, but few
specimens may assist in promoting scientific
research in the same direction. We copy the
questions from the printed schedule. and give
tie answers the Leading American was good
enough to make III italics:
Dat = Of maIriages.-Jdti. !, April l. and Juiy4.
Raised III country city.-OH the sea.
lIisht-fO"r Jcef.
Wcight.-31J pounds.
Size of head arOund.-Three fect.
From center Of ears aboyc.-Har, ADORE.
From center of ears IN front. Hare IN 'front.'
From center Of around top head aud under chin
-Iars no ears in either piaee
Length of hand.-l7 inches.
Color Of hair, complcSion-Light bh,r.
Length of hair.-Depends rpsn he barber.
Tempcramcnt.-Shdky.
Hereditary discasos.-Ifunoer and somnoleuee
Lonseyty.-Noi get reached
Traye.-In Me street cars.
Games sports ctc.-T0ker. euchre. ctr.
Religious -PersecutiOn-Pc Persecution strongly de-
reioI ed.
Political blas.-Deeided By elections
T,mperance.-HGpe a high bmper.
Perseyerance-Nererk knsw Percy We're.
CONGRATULATIONS ran msn.
Sunday ayscbOol.-Dont keep any.