The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-19

horsehair snakes, / suppose It would
draw II cl1ser sill at cowhair snakes.
and set tho hairs out OF the tuft OF.
cows taft will develop into the liveliest
sort OF snakes II treated right. Not
only will the hairs Of a cows tail pro-
duce snakes but the hairs from her hide
will Yield living creatures that ought
TO make even science open Its eyes. ANY
o.e who ever knew anything about the
On shioaed or primitive method OF
tanning hides can tell you that. 1t was
the custom when people and industries
were few. for farmers and others TO tan
their own hides. using wood ashes IN
stead Il lime 10 remove the hair from
the hides. and when those hairs were
washed of and left In standing water.
as any Old resident will tell you. they
would become curious-lOokng worms
and swim about IN the iiveliest manner.
They would be seen in various stages OF
development. from the hair as II came
or the hide up 20 a living. active white
worm two or three inches long. Occa-
sionally hair would only be transform
cd 2 part OF It's length. and became
short worm with a hair for its tall once.
when 7 was n boy I found in a puddle
Of water in the road a wad OF hair cut
from a cows tail. locked and twisted
together. which had just developed NE
enough 10 be possessed OF the power or
motion. and was working like a bundle
Of snakes interlocked and twisted to.
gether p. +. Shumaker. who had fornd
similar demonstrations Of the fact that
living creatures could and did e'oNa
from COWS hair. had an explanation Tor
II which sounded reasonable.
HOW 1T is DONE.
ITO my mind said he the process
IS simple. The hairs have open tubes
or capilaries running through them
lengthwise. through which they draw
the elements Of nutrition from the blood
Of the COW. and perhaps have nerve fila'
ments through or along which the cleo
trio currents course while the hair IS
attached 20 the COW. When placed IN
water Of a proper temperature. holding
IN solution. already digested and pre-
pared for assimilation. the elements Of
animal nutrition which have been drawn
from either animal or vegetable matter.
the fluid is drawn into the hair by the
capillary attraction and the chemical
affinity Of the particles n matter.
Chemical action takes place. Currents
are developed. Life. motion. and intel
lipence become manifested
Nicholas Pike. sciences champion
laugherdOwn Of the horsehair snake and
friend OF the Gordius aquaticus. doesn't
hesitate 10 tell MS. I'm the name Of science
some things about the Gordius that are
astonishers. There rs a species or Cor
dius.' he SAYS. the mediensis very COM
mon In the East Indies and Africa Of
ten measuring several feet in length.
yet not larger round than our aquati-
Gus. We may rejoice that II Is not here.
for n is very dangerous 70 man, fire.
quently producing ulcers. gangrene. and
even death. when h. enters the human
body. 10 usually inserts itself when very
small IN some part Of the lower eXtremi-
ties, often Just above the ankle. and
the flesh close rapidly over IT.. Indians
who stand long In fresh water pools.
fishing frequently get them. During my
s0iourn in the East I met with several
severe cases. and on one occasion ex-
tracted n worm from q Malabars leg.
II had entered near the foot and worked
ire way I'D the leg 20 the trunk OF rho
body. rapidly increasing IN length. and
would doubtless have killed him In time
He had been strong and healthy, and
that. with youth on his side had enabled
him 70 battle against the terrible
scourge n was. however beginning 70
tell upon him. when I told him I could
cure him n NJ would consent 20 an
operation Ho was informed that certain
death was before him unless the worm
was extracted and he even expressed
willingness 10 lose his leg if he could
be cured but that was needless. / made
a small incision and secured the end Of
the worm. which J carefully fastened
with a thread 10 q piece Of pine wood
some inches long. as large round as
pen holder. After the end Of the worm
was safely fixed. began 10 turn the
stick TN the tension of the worm was
an II could boar without breaking This
operation was done carefully many times
for about eleven days. when success
crowned my efforts. and the worm was
taken whole from the man. II was A
work Of considerable patience on both
our parts. and the agony ~ mind the
man endured every time ! turned the
stick lest the worm should break was
very great Had a small piece Of IL
been left In the flesh it woulc have
grown again. and a s. it was approach
ing vital parts. II would have been
worse than ever and an the trouble for
nothing. He. however. stood 81 we'll and,
though greatly emaciated when II was
all over. with a little care he was soon
well and strong again
'Say, You're an right when you've
got science at your back amt YOU? Now
7 could tel a whole lot about horsehair
snakes but Ia hardly dare. being back
cd only by nature. But III say this.
have made snakes out Of horsehairs
more times than 7 can count. and 7 can
do II again New York Sun