The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-03
CRES Es7Ms ABB cEGs.
Their Power of Voluntary Amputation FL
planned BY an Old Gentleman.

Their Power of Voluntary Amputation Ex-
planned BY an Old Gentleman.
A funny-looking old gentleman, with
blue cotton umbrella under his arm
and goggles to match, stopped at a
Washington fish stand yesterday after
noon and attentively examined lot of
healthy crabs, evidently just out of the
water, which were scrambling about in
shallow box with the cracking noise
peculiar to this interesting crustacean
under such circumstances. Selecting
for particular notice the biggest of them
all, the aged person deliberately began
to tickle it with his forefinger nail on
the second joint of the left large claw,
taking care at the same time to avoid
being seized by the rather formidable
nippers. This he continued for a few
seconds, when the claw suddenly
dropped off and the animal scrambled
away for short distance, out
of reach, while the old gentle
man coolly picked up the aban-
doned member and put it in his pocket.
Then he stepped around to the other
side of the box and began to tickle the
same crab just as before on the other
claw; presently that fell off likewise
and was promptly pocketed. 1t looked
as though the old gentleman was going
to repeat the operation on others of the
crabs, but he was cut short at this point
by the unexpected appearance of the
fish man from behind the door.
''What yer doing?" the latter in
qaired.
Without exhibiting the slightest dis
composure or embarrassment the aged
stranger waved polite greeting to the
proprietor with his umbrella and put
himself in the attitude of learned dis
coarse, evidently rendered instructive
by scholastic habit.
MY worthy friend,'' he said, 81 have
just been performing an experiment of
| the utmost interest, illustrative of a
curious physical function which, so far
as science is aware, is possessed by the
crab alone among animals. If your own
leg is injured so badly as to render
amputation necessary the operation
must be performed with a saw and
knives. Likewise with any other living
creature surgery must be resorted to for
getting rid of the limb. The crab is the
solitary exception to this rule. If it
concludes that for any reason, leg or
arm is no more desirable, it simply cuts
off the member by single effort of it's
own and goes away without it. Catch a
crab by the claw, and, as quickly as it
perceives that it is not likely to escape
otherwise, it will exert the simple act
OF volition necessary, and dropping the
imprisoned limb, goes off rejoicing"
''Huh!'' said the fisherman.
Eyes, my good man. went on the old
gentleman. ''And, furthermore, this
act of voluntary amputation may be
caused by simply scratching or tickling
the claw. The crab is doubtless annoyed
by it, and being creature naturally
subject to it's of i'll temper, the limb is
angrily dropped. The amputation, which
is truly such and not mere disarticula-
lation of the joint, may also be induced
by the application of an electric current.
That the crabs power to accomplish this
curious feat depends upon the central
nervous system is proved by the fact
that when the crustacean is rendered in
sensible by an anesthetic or the nervous
system injured the act of amputation
can not be performed. / am very fond
of crabs legs myself. They are deli
cious eating -.-~-
(! Indeed, replied the fish man. "And
so, you shad-bellied old beat, you come
around to my stand and tickle my crabs
for supper! Two or three of my GUS
toners have complained lately that the
crabs they bought of me had lost their
big claws. suppose you have been do
ing this thing right along"
pray, be calm," interrupted the old
gentleman, with deprecatory wave OF
the blue-cotton umbrella. "Your speak
ing in this impolite manner makes me
fear that you have no regard for science
nor interest in the wonders of physiol-
Ogy. 1t is worth remembering, how
ever, that the crab has another great
advantage over other animals-it can
growing others, although the fresh ones
never get to be as large as the orig
inals."
swell, I'd have you know, my bloom
ing old fossil, that don't keep crabs on
my stand long enough for them to grow
new arms and legs in the place of the
ones you steal; and if ever catch you
hanging about here again I'll hand you
over to the police"
And the old gentleman, without ven
turing response, shuff1ed off, muttering
to himself the while and fumbling with
the two crab legs he had secreted in his
pocket.-Washington Star.