The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-08-26
ELECTRICAL BLONDS.
A Kansas Professors Scheme for
Turning Negroes White.
He Thinks the skin of the Ethiopian
Can De DIeached by the Use of
EIectricity-Many Eager.
Applicants.


Applicants.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin?
Yes. 1t only remains TO be ascertained
just how to apply the current of cleo
tricity. Prof Lucien Blake, of the
chair of electro-chemistry of the Kan
sas university, said in a recent lecture
that the negro owes his color to car
hon pigment in the tissues of the skin.
IF current of electricity be sent
through the TISSUES OF the body that
contain moisture" continued the pro
fesSor, las all tissues of the body do,
the tendency of the current is to de-
compose and transport certain of the
clements that make up those tissues
and liquids. Gold and silver and all
the metals are deposited out of their
solution by currents of electricity in
this way in the arts. If it can be found
that current of electricity will thus
transport carbon out of it's pigment
layer, as found in the negro, then this
pigment viii lose it's black color
Whether this carbon can thus be re-
moved will have TO be made the subject
of experiments. Prof Blake was asked
how he would go about making an
experiment of this kind, but he refused
to give the information. saying he does
not care TO earn the reputation of being
sensationalist He does not doubt that
the result could be accomplished.
There is process in common use in
dentistry" he said. known as cat
aphoresis,' by which substances are car
| ried bodily by current of electricity.
/ For instance, cocaine is transported
along a nerve of the tooth, with the re-
suit that the nerve is made temporarily
insensible to pain. Now, if by this
| process of cataphnresis, some substance
co-ld be conveyed beneath the negro's
epia- mis- to act upon the pigment, dis
solve a. j remove it, the desired result
would be accomplished.
"Another way might be to place the
candidate for a white skin in common
water BATH insert one pole of the bat
terry in the water, and place the other
upon the negro's body A mild current
of electricity would then diffuse itself
equally over the subjects body. But
the point of making ii remove the car
bon without destroying the tissue would
have to be determined by careful ex-
pertinent.
you would be surprised, said Prof.
Blake "to know how many letters |
have received from colored people late
ly. You will remember that i'm the
course of recent lecture in Kansas
City ! said that believed that by the APP
plication of an electric current the pig
ment which gives to the negro his black
skin could be deeomposed and that the
skin would become white think that
/ must have had 50 letters since then
from negroes who would like to change
color
''Are the letters from men or wom-
emp"
"Well, principally, think, from men
but | have had several from women"
What is the general tenor of the let
ters?"
'All Of the writer's express great de
sire TO be white, but they are particular
to say that they do not want to bt
physically injured by the process. On'
girl wrote a very funny letter. Sh'
said that she would be perfectly will
ing to have me experiment upon her
if ] would guarantee not to spoil he
beauty. Not being conversant witt
the lady's particular style OF beauty
| am unable to say whether or not
would be damaged by the operation"
"Are the letters all signed?'
''The greater part of them are, bu
, some are anonymous Many of tn
productions are humorous in the eN
,, treme. but there is no doubt of tn
earnestness of the writer's. They hay
9 consuming desire to be covered wit
| Caucasian skin"
/ 'IIave you accepted the offer of an
of the applicants who are willing to b'
come the subjects of the experiment!
q mot vet. But l hope to begin son
experiments when | shall have con
pleted nv lectures here. You unde
stand that do not state positively TIN
this thing can be successfully az
harmlessly done. While believe tn
the color can be removed, the f"oea
might have some undesirable effect
some of the other tissues of the boo
That is thing which should have
investigate more fully before | shou
be willing to enter on an experiment
Would you experiment upon the e
tire body at once?"
a. "No. | should start on one memb
Ia an arm, for instance. / could sot
: determine whether or not there wou
be any i'll effect from the process, al
ne the subject would be perfectly sat
ps II the plan worked We'll l could tn
at take up the rest of the body Pit
40 burgh Dispatch.
es A sparrow's Ride in a Fly Whee
air Birds have all sorts of queer adv
an lures, but perhaps what was the odd
one of recent days is that which bel
d sparrow at Anderson, Ind. ltfew
to a knife and bar factory, and, getti
NJ too near small wheel. was sucked
Tho vvorlxin syYnen noticed it 90 into