The Morning herald., 1876-03-13
rar sHowkn or rLrsR.
A Scientific Analysis or the Sop.
pOsed Flesh-A Scientist Declares
u< a. N> nn~Sa ReA~ SnAWm

posed Flesh-A Scientist Declares
1t 70 be Dead Freg spaWn..
BY American Press Association.
LOUISVILLE, Ky, March 12.-Dr. J. Law
renee Smith, scientist, to whom was given
the specimens of flesh, has furnished the
following report of his analysis: l have e1.
amined the specimens of matter that were
sent to me from Bath county as having
fallen from clear sky, In limited space,
in the neighbprhood of Mudlick Springs:
The pieces received by me had been placad
in alcohol, and they had evidently shrunk
considerably from their original bulk.
The fonr pieces furnished me by Captain
Brent, of Mount Sterling, and Mr.. Madden,
of the Courier Journal, were from one
half to one inch in size; they had the ap-
pearance of dried gelattnous matter OF IT.
regular shape, and were more or less COL
ored. Filaments were attached to Inc ex-
terror. Under feeble magnifying power
the edges were translucent; when heated 10
water the pieces became enlarged and more
translucent. The dried pieces, when cut
across, showed on the exterior soft gela-
tinous substance without any fibrous struc-
ture. :,
Under the microscope the parts that had
dried showed an irregular filamentous struc-
ture. The dried pieces when placed IN
fame, burned readily, with the strong and
| we'll known smell of animal matter. The
| pieces were examined carefully under the
microscope, but there was not the sllghtest
| indication of any muscular fiber or other
structure belonging to what is commonly
| known as animal tissue. In my mlnd TINS
matter gives every indication Of being the
dead spawn of the batrachian reptiles,
doubtless that of the frog. They have
been transported from the ponds and
swampy grounds by currents Of wind, and
have ultimately fallen on the spot where
they were found.
| This is no isolated occurrence of the kind
having come across mention of several
previous instances in the course of my read
l. ing. The only one can now fix the date ol
is recorded by Muschubroeck. and occuredd
in Iceland in 1875. The matter is described
by him as very glutinous and fatty, and
softened when held in the hand, or emitted
an unpleasant odor when exposed to the
action of the fire.
The ovum or egg of The batrachiam rep
tiles is round mass of transparent jelly
in the centre Of which appears small black
glObule. In the present case tne passage
through air would have dried up, more OF
less, this gelatinous mass, SO that the ex-
terror would have become hard and the in
terror, as 1 found it, still soft and gelatin
Gus. As regards the quantity supposed te
have fallen there is doubtless considerable
exageration, for the singularity Of thi'
phenomenon would doubtless have such 6
startling effect on tbs minds ofthe witnesses
as to cause them to magnify the number
have desired more Of the matter to be sem
to me, when, if there is any modification O
these views, will make them known.
]. LAWRENCE SMITH.
Considerable excitement exists among
the people generally concerning this affair
and it will be hard to convince the countr.
people, who witnessed this phenomenon, o
Professor Smiths theory.