The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-29
4 CONGRESS or SKULLS.
National Types Illustrated In Prof Nirchow's
Laboratory at Berlin.

sful ne Linton IHtct
PARIS, Sept. 81 eagerly accepted Dr.
Liebreichs offer to introduce me 10 Or. Viz
chow. We waited some minutes in ono ~ tho
laboratories. The first room we passed through
contained collection Of human bones. SYM
mctrically arranged in cases. An assistant was
engaged in taking n cast Of skull coquettish y
placed on glass stand. The second room was
like miniature Valley Of Jchoshaphat at the
moment OF the first blast Of the resurrection
trumpet There were skeletons ereet. curved.
seated. leaning like men surprised in their
sleep and stretching themselves before wholly
waking. Bones OF every kind covered tab 5.
shelves. and chairs. and TO find "A seat chairs
had 10 be cleared OF the human romans which
encumbered them. Numbcrles- skulls crowned
ifls charming collection, grnniug ~ the shape
less fragments scattered over furniture an
floor.
On contemplating this spectacle and recalling
pr Nirchow's eloquent and incisVe speeches.
l expected 10 see a gigantic figure strange y
alfred, with Sparkling eyes and radiant coun-
tenance. personiiying the double power OF a
man who yeneiracs the secrets of death and
boasts II defcndin, that life 81 the living. lib
ertyi The door opened. aud say nothing of
All this. The man who advanced toward me
was dressed Ike an antiquary lu~,ed in ar
renging his collections; ms head rather thin
ana bnny; hair and beard short aud gray: iorn-
head bronzed. furrowrd. projecting In front aud
slightly compressed M the sides: veins visible
IN the temples; eyes small and rrtrrainl.,
mouth rrsoluto nose sharp and restless hands
hron2ed, ngilc. and thin, denotiug determ ma
ton energy. and deNterty.
The originality Of the situation. however
soon displayed itself The conversation turned
Immediately on tn" Congress then sitting We
discussed the ryalrics Of the small nationnlitios
disputing supremacy in European Turkey. DR..
Nirchow suddenly rose. Sec. he said. the
really superior race in thos. countries Look
AZ these" and he put into my hands three
skulls; one Of your colleagues sent nae the
first, and ! have since procured III" other two.
They are tho crauum1 OF AhaniAns murdered
by Turks. Look al them. Are they not fine
On receiving the first thought 1t was an eNccp-
tionnl one but they arc all like that. those Al
bantam skulls. There is the race superior 10y
far to NJ the others"
Dr. Virchow with enthusiastic tenderness
and countenance full OF affection. caresSod the
Uranium he held on his knees: then. rising,
carefully Replaced II on the ground. and hrrin
to speak rapidly and pcturcsquely on the var.
Gus populations 81 European Turkey. backing
~ every opinion 10y the production Of skulls -
Montenegrin Bosnian, Daimutian. Srryian.
bulgarian, Roumnnian, Turkish. and Hun
garlhn; His proofs gradually accumulated, nm 1
NJ last he completed his demonstrations low "A
perfect circle of skulls OF different dimensions
moro or less marked 10y swords or firearms Ii
was the Congress strangely judged from tho
cranioloeica point ~ view. He constantly re-
vertcd however. to his Albanian skulls and in
speaking Of them stopped L. touch them with
the finger, whcreus he scOrr.ully Indicated the
others with his loot; and must add that Count
Andrhssy would not have heon Entered had ht'
known the rank assigned by DR.. Nirchow to the
Magyar.