News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-11-13
A REMARKABLE WAR RELIC
Hair Growing on a Ballet thnt Passet
Through n Mans Brain.

Through Il Mans Brain.
That hair grows upon the human BODY
after death has been theory held by
many prominent physicians, but dis
credited by the profession generally.
Experts who follow the melancholy pur-
suit of laying out and dressing the dead
hold in some contempt this professional
opinion, and declare that cases of hair
growth after death are frequent, and
often so palpable that even a novice
would not fail to detect them.
A very curious relic in the possession
of Pottsville bookkeeper, a veteran of
the late war, was examined by several
Philadelphia doctors recently, and ap-
pears to furnish conclusive proof that
death does not always put an end to the
growth of hair upon portions of the hu-
man body, even after the lapse of many
years. Henry Matthews was q good
soldier during the war, and was at the
front in some of the hottest engage
ments of that great struggle. AS a
member of Company Fl, of the Forty
eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, he was
in the fight at Gold Harbor. On May
26, 1864, he was struck down by bull
let, which entered the back part of the
head. The ball passed through a por-
ton of the brain, and was taken out
above the forehead. The operation was
performed by DIR. W. r. D. Blackwood,
then Surgeon General of the division,
who now lives at No. 246 North Twen-
tieth street, Philadelphia.
During the progress of the operation
mass of the brain, weighing about an
ounce and half and as large as an egg,
escaped. The bullet, to which some of
the brain matter and a portion of the
scalp adhered, was preserved, and upon
his departure from the hospital was given
to the wounded man, who, to the as.
tonishment of the surgeon, recovered.
He has suffered no mental inconvenience,
and now occupies responsible clerical
position in the Reading Railroad office
at Pottsyille. When the bullet was pre-
sented to him twenty years ago at the
hospital door, the brain matter and the
little patch of scalp had dried, but a few
short hairs could be seen sticking out
from the latter. The bullet had been
considerably fattened. and somewhat
resembled in shape a miniature clam
shell.
As the time elapsed BIr. Matthews,
who greatly priced this relic, noticed an
astonishing fact. The hairs, which at
first were scarcely prominent enough to
be noticed, were growing. Other hairs
grew out also until thick black bunch
appeared at the back of the bullet. At
first his friends refused to credit the
story, although he showed the precious
relic in proof. Once or twice he cut of
the ends of tho growing hair. 1t con-
tinued to grow. = About year ago Mr..
Matthews came to Philadelphia and
soaght out DIR. Blackwood, to whom he
N hiDst1u tho bullet with it's br:nch CT
apparently healthy haE. The surgeon
in the presence of professional witnesses,
cut off an inch of tho hair, measured
that which remained, boxed and sealed
up the bullet, and placed it in trusty
hands for safe keeping.
Recently the package was opened.
A careful measurement showed that the
hair had grown over an inch since the
ball had been last seen, and DIR. Black
wood said: "The fact is beyond dispute.
Apparently without nutrition, upon the
dried-up particle of scalp and brain, this
hair had been and is now growing as
surely, if not SO luxuriantly, as it grew
upon Matthews's head when he was
shot. / recollect the wound, the oper-
alton, and the presentation of the relic
to the injured man after his remarkable
recovery. It seems to me to settle be-
yond doubt that hair can and does grow
upon dead bodies. Tue fact has steadily
been denied by medical journals and
medical mcn generally, but the men
who have charge of the medical college
subjects, those mysterious fellows who
have every opportunity to know, nearly
ali declare that they continually witness
the proof of it."
That hair can be transplanted and will
contract organic adhesion is recognized
fact, and the american CJclopedia
says: ''Hairs will grow after death and |
live for centuries" But no such re-
markable instance as the hair growing |
ON Mr. Mathews's bullet is on record |