The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-07-10
THE MAN WHO MADE A MAN.
BY HARLE OREN CUMMINs.
(Copyright By II. o. Cummins.)
BY permission of the Author.

by permission OF the Author
When Prof. Aloysius Hobrok re-
signed his chair as head of the Depart
ment of Synthetic Chemistry in one OF
the famoas American colleges his
friends wondered, for they well knew
that his greatest pleasure in life lay in
original chemical Investigations. When
two weeks later, the papers stated that
the learned chemist had been taken to
the Rathburn Asylum for the Insane,
wonder changed to inordinate curios-
ity.
Although nothing definite was pub
lished in the papers, there were hints
Of strange things which had taken
place in the private laboratory on
Brimmer street, and before long a
story was current that, as a result of
dabblng in the mysteries of psychol-
ogy, a man had been killed while I'M
dergoing one of Prof. Holbrok's ex-
periments.
1t is to clear up this mystery and to
refute the charges Of murder that l,
who served for ten years as his assis-
tant, am about to write this account,
which, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, contains the facts of the
case.
/ had noticed for the year previous
that Prof. Holbrok was much preoc-
cupied, but l knew that he was working
over some new experiment. Manv
times, when l came to his door al
O'Clock to clean up as usual for the next
day, found notice pinned on the
door telling me that he was in the
midst of an important work and would
not need me again that day. l thought
nothing about it at The time, for when
he was experimenting with DR.. Bick-
nell, performing operations with hyp
notism, instead OF ap@sthetics, there
were weeks at a time when l was not al
lowed even glimpse of the inside of
the laboratories. One day, however,
as / came in to report, the Professor
called me aside and told me that he
wanted to have talk with me.
"You know, Frederick" he began,
shat have been working and expert
menting for a long time on a new prob
lem, and l have not told you or anyone
else the object of my toll. But now
have come to a point where | must take
some one into my confidence. l need
an assistant, and know of no one
can trust more than you,who have been
with me now for early dozen years."
l was naturally 6attered.
| "Frederck," he continued, rising and
placing his hand on my shoulder, "this
experiment is the greatest one of my
life. | am going to do what has never
before been done in the history Of the
world, except by God himself. 1 am
going to Make a Man"
| did not realize at first what he
meant. was startled, not only by his
wild statement, but also by the intense
tone in which he had spoken.
"You do not understand" he said.
'But let me explain. You know
enough chemistry TO realize that every
thing - water, air, food, all things
which we use in everyday life-are
me- ely combinations of certain simple
elements. AS you have seen me, by
means Of an electric current, decom-
pose a jar of pure waterinto its two COM
ponent parts, two molecules of hydrogen
to every molecule OF oxygen, so you
can bring these same elements togeth-
er in the gaseous state, and il the cor
rect proportions are observed, when
an electric spark or flame is brought
into contact with the mixture, you will
obtain again the liquid water. This is
only simple case, but the chemical
laws which govern it hold equally well
for every known substance found in
nature. There are only about seventy
five known elements, and of these less
than thirty compose the majority of
the things found in everyday life.
"During the last six months l have
been working with these elements,
making different substances. l have
taken piece of wood, decomposed il
with acids, analysed it quantitatively
and qualitatively, finding the proper.
tions in which its elements were com
bined Then have taken similar ele.
ments, brought them together in the
same proportions, and have produced
a piece of wood 80 natural you would
have sworn it grew upon tree.
81 have been Analysing and theI
making again every common thing
which you see in nature, but 1 was
only prac Using. l have had an end in
view. Finally took human body
which / obtained from DR.. Bicknell, at
the medical college, and l analysed the
flesh, the bones, the blood, in short
every part of it. What did find? Oh
that body, weighing 165 pounds, 10t
pounds was nothing but water, pure
water, such as you may draw at the tar
over yonder. And the blood which in
the mans life had gone coursine
through his veins, bringing nourish
ment to every part-what was thati
Nothing but serum filed with little
cellular red copuscles, which, in theil
turn, were only combinations of car
bon, oxygen, sulphur and a few othel
simple elements.
"For the last two months l have
been working on these lines alone
varying my temperatures from the ex
treme cold produced by liquid air, tc
the intense heat OF the compound blow
pipe, and have been repaid. A fort
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.