Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12
HAIR AND FISH SCALES.
Some Curious Qualities Of Theirs Observed
Under the Microscope.
SsnNCE UPON A TIME" SAID A MICRO
y scopist to a SfAR writer. "a bold ru

ssONCE UPON A TIME" SAID A MICRO
~ scopist TO STAR writer. "a bold robber
from Denmark made sacre.igious entrance into
a church in Yorkshire. England and got awavs
with some Of the holy vessels lie was caught
and was condemned to lie fayed alive, his
skin being subsequently, nailed to the church
door for the purpose Of affording example
10 evildoers and to give an agreeable object OF
contemplation to the good people who fiocked
to the sacred cdifice for worship on Sundays.
That was about thousand years ago, and
after awhile the human hide was torn of by
bits. all traces Of i: being removed. save for
some small fragments which still peep ont
from under the edges of the broad-headed
nails by which it was stretched.
WHAT THE MICROSCOPE SHOWED.
''Such, at all events, has been the tradition in
Yorkshire, and it happened q few years ago
that an inquisitivc person sent a scrap of
leather to an eminent expert in microscopy.
giving no account OF it. but merely requesting
to know what kind of skin II was. The pro-
iessor brought his microscope to bear upon 1t
and presently found some fine hairs scattered
over the surface. which, after carefully examin-
Ing ne declared TO be human hairs, sach as
grow on The naked parts of the body. Further
more, he stated that the person whe had
owned them WAS OF fair complexion. lnis Has
very interesting. iuasmuch as after the lapse
OF ten centuries it was proved possible not
only to distinguish human hair from that of
an: other animal, but actually to determine
the race Of the man TO which ii belonged, the
Danes being light-haired.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF HAIR.
''lf You Will look at human hair under the
microscope yoa will find that its surface is
formed OF successive overlapping scales. Tho
brist.es OF the hog bear much resemblance 10
the human HAIR. though their diameter Is
greater and the tiie-ike scales are much liner.
Sheeps hair has much coarsor scales. /: Is
owing 20 the existence of these scales that
SOCIOLOGY Is able by peculiar process to tell
which Is the tip and which the other end OF 4
halr, rolling II between his finger and thumb.
Thus manipulated. the hair always travels in
the direction Of the base because the edges of
the scales prevent 1t from goinS the other way.
THE PROPERTY OF EELTIsG.
1T IS because OF this scaly structure that
those hairs which possess it are endowed with
the property OF felting--thut is. of being so in
terlaceG and entaHgled by certain mechanical
operaEIons RS to form dense cloth-like texture.
The substance of mems hats is made OF lambs
wool ana rabbits fur, not woven, but simply
bcathn. pressed and worked together between
damp cloths. The same property makes woven
WOODEN tIssues close and thick. and it Is or this
account that worsted stockings shrink. becom-
worn for while and washed Frequently.
Broadcloth IA given its close and firm texture
by the intimate union of the fel,ed wool fbers
OF which l. il composed. From The commercial
poin: of view. the excellence Of wool is deter
mined by the c!oseness of the little teeth or
scales. Merino fiber has 2.i0J teeth TO an inch.
while al even superior wool for feltimg pup
poses, called Saxon, Is seen under tho micro
scope TO have 2,7zO teeth in an inch.
THE SCALES OF FISHES
''The feathers of birds simply modified
hairs. Scales Of fishes oyerlie one another.
tilc-fashion. Ike birds feathers. and for the
same purpose, namely. to shed the water. Ii a
lish's scales We're set with their edges toward
his nose his progress through his native ele-
ment would be impeded. The scales of fishes
are very beautiful things to examine micro
scopicaiiy. lake those of a gold fish for ex-
ample. The brilliant golden or silvery hues of
these fishes are produced by a soft LAYER Of
pigment spread over their inner surface and
sc, II through the translucent substance Of the
scales. On carefully detaching scale ore sees
on the under side layer OF cleaning sub
stance easily removed, silvery or golden. ac-
cording TO the hue of the fish. If small por-
ton OF this substance is taken up on the end of
a fine needle and spread on a glass slide under
the microscope Is seen to consist of two distinct
materials. enc giving the color and the other the
metallic luster. When thus greatly magnifed
the former OF these two substances is seen to
be layer OF loose cells. OF an orange color in
the gold and whitsh in the silver fishes. II a
drop of water be then added and the solution
gently agitated with the needle point the mass
IL seen to be full Of an infinite number of fat
crystals, oblong prisms. with angular ends
by reflected light they flash like plates of pol
ished steel. Bat what appears most singular
Is that each crystal is perpetually vibrating and
quiverins as if alive. although it is really due
TO slight motion Of the water in which they
float. Owing to this irregular movemen. each
crystal is momentarily frightening or waning.
flashing out or retiring into darkness thus
producing positively magical effect To this
property, presumably. is TO be attributed the
peariy. play of light which makes the living
fishes"