St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-08

presence of foreign substances imbed-
ded in the tissues and remaining there.
In his speciality of chemistry l was as
toniShed at the extent of his knowledge.
1t was chemical education in itself to
watch his experiments in the advanced
chemistry OF the day. lie was an eX-
pert mechanic as well. One day called
and found him in his laboratory at
work. His mighty arms were barred to
the shoulder; could almost count ey
cry perfect muscle. The fire from a
furious burning furnace Shone upon his
close-cropped hair and beard, which
glittered like new gold in the fierce
light. He was engaged i'm the manufact-
ure of little glass capsules about as
large as the gelatine capsule used to
hold two grains of Quinine.
He made them from a sluall
tube of opaque glass, first sealing one
end smoothly, then cutting off the tube
the required length, after sealing the
other end in the furnace. The result
was an oval glass capsule, both ends
smooth and round. Into some of these
he placed a white powder before seal
ing up the last end; others he left
blank.
Il had great deal of trouble" he re-
marked, before could get that powder
In such a shape that it would not be de-
stroyed by the heat during the sealing
process"
When l asked him the nature and use
of the capsules he plunged into such a
long technical explanation that l failed
to follow him, and was no wiser than at
first,
\ LITTLE EXPERIMENT..
Two or three months passed after this,
during which time saw little of Ivan
HummaSon. We are each of us deeply
engrossed in the study of his chosen
department of medical science. 1t was
shortly after the beginning of the new
year when lyau came to me and said:
Il have determined to try little ex-
pertinent upon myself, and l want your
help. You remember our talks about
the manner in which the tissues will
sometimes tolerate the presence of a
foreign substance. Now, | want to try
it on myself. l want you to insert
under the skin on some part of my
body a foreign substance in such way
that the opening through which the
substance is inserted will quickly heal
up and leave it buried there. l want it
placed where there will be the least
danger of it moving about. You can Sc
lect the spot yourself. When l get
tired of having it there you can remove
it easily"
l was considerably aStOniShed at the
proposition, and was about to decline
having anything to do with such all op-
Grafton, when he added quietly:
You m ust do it. It's matter of
great Importance to me-"
His manner was such that hesitated
to diSoblige him. After all, REFLECTED,
what did it matter. No danger could
arise from so simple an operation, and
If he wished to make himself the sub
ject of his own experiments, why
shouldn't he?
''When do You wish this done?" 1
asked.
Now" he replied.
And what do you propose to insert
under Their skin?''
This" he answered, taking from his
pocket one of the little glass capsules l
had seen him manufacturing.
But it's glass;
''All the better. My father has lead
in his body. will have glass;"
Arguments were useless to dissuade
him from his purpose. Thinking the
matter over, l decided that the best
point for the insertion of the bit of
glass was just at the inner edge of the
deltoid muscles, or on the inuer aspect
of the upper third of the arm. Here it
WOULD DE leaSC liable 10 De acteQ on by
the muscles. and would be little exposed
to injury from accidental blows. When
| told him my decision he said:
''Anywhere you like"
A PECULIAR OPERATION.
He sat down and barred his left arm to
the shoulder. His skin was as soft and
white as woman's. He did not finch
or move muscle while | made the in
ciSiOn through the skin and created an
opening downward beneath the surface
large enough to receive the glass capsule.