The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-11-06
A Remarkable War Relic.

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PHILADELPHIA, October That
hair grows upon the human body after
death has been theory held by many
prominent physicians, but discredited BY
the profession generally. Experts who
follow themelancholy pursuit of laying:
out and dressing the dead hold in some
contempt this professional opinion, and
declare that: cases;of hairsgrowths after
death are frequent, and even 80 palpable
that even afnovice @wouldsnot fail toade-
tect them.
!; a very curious relic is inthe possession
of Pottsville book.keeper, a veteran OF
/ the late war, was examined BY several
Philadelphia doctors recently, and ap.
pears to furnish conclusive proof that
death does not railways put an end torthe
growth of hair upon portions OF the
human body, even after the lapse OF many
years. Henry Matthews was q good sol.
der during the war, and was at the front
lin>some of the hottest engagements of
that great struggle. As q member of
Company H, Of The Forty.eighth Penn.
7sylvania Volunteers, he vas in the fight
f-st-goh Harbor: OnTMay rs, 1854, he
EBas struck down by a;bullet, which en-
L!ereds back..part..of- the head.
The ball passed through portion
l;of the brain, and was taken out above the
lstorehead. The operation vas performed
I95y DR.. w. r. D. Blackwood, then Sur.
1yeon General of the division, who now
lives at No. 246 North Twentieth street,
Hathiscity.s During the progress of the
operation mass of the brain, weighing
about an ounce and shalt and.as large
lis an egg, escaped. The bullet, TO which
dome Of the brain matteriand a portion
Of the scalp adhered. was preserved, and
('iIponl lhisd departure from the hospital was
,.iiyen to the wounded man, who. to the
sIstonishment s!of .theA surgeon, recovered.
lie has suffered no mental -incon venience
and now occupies responsible clerical
position in the Reading Railway oficeat
iiaottsville. When the hbullet7 was pre-
sented to him twenty years ago at the
hospital door the brain matter and the
little patch Of scalp had dried up, but
few short hairs could be seen sticking ont
from the latter. The bullet had been
considerably aattened and. somewhat
resembled in shape a miniature clam
"a. ina { elanaed M Matthews who
aa.hS al I an.;1aa .stb;s .1Zrei;c Z notiasd Al,
sasss;Ss T. sso.s HThae,bs;rs ygh;ch 81
ssstu.sn ssa.a $40 rcelr. nrorn;nsnt enonoh tn
tsy x:sS sSsi asSs aloS;rg sfOfEsE hairs
sa..; nyS ~. sisn.nStii @ Sah;ct. bIacS bunch
s.oSsvsa5s I ea.stha hacl.-snd of the bnlIet
Elp 1T b;es 10. fr;ends ref,sed to credit the
~ 49,. ss s,thonrb az s ha ahowed the nrecious
' s.sn nroo Gnca - ~ tw;css he cnt off,
.sss ~. 81 S of sha Sro1s;ng hair r. contin-
u.S "a ens ~ 'srosu y. 10, Ahonf a vear7ago- MIR.
ass..,s.s agus TO- spb;,adainS;s and
sasIIsgS Ts snr sRisct wood To whom he
lSS ssssS;;sd AL htbe b,,iiss, with its bunch of
sn5arently HEALTHY hair. The surgeon,
tiisIlffhe nresence Of professional witnesses,
EcaassIf Of an an inch Of theshair, measured
that which remained, boxed and sealed
laup the bullet, and placed it in trusty
hands for safe keeping. Recently the
package was opened. A careful meas
Iurement showed that the han. had grown
over an inch since the ball had been last