The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1902-06-20
FOOD OF THE STONE AGE.
Examination of His Teeth Shows
What Prehistoric Man Lived On.

T. Charters White, M. R. G. S., writ
Ing on this subject in the London
: Science Gossip, says that palaeontol-
ogy affords many glimpses tending to
the elucidation Of the lives Of our pre-
historic ancestors, but, though it pro-
vides information that may be gath
cred from consideration of the Weap-
ons and domestic implements. it re-
mains for the microscope to throw
measure of light on their food. Sew
eral years ago a barrow was opened
on the downs near Warmlnster IN
which a number of human and ami
NAL remains were found heaped over
the skeleton of an infant. Hav-
ing been allowed by Mr.. W. Cunning
ham, who opened this barrow to make
an examination of some OF the human
jaws, ! shall describe as clearly as |
can the condition Of one as bearing on
the question of prehistoric food. The
gentleman was perfectly ignorant OF
the use of a tooth brush, and probably
whatever performed an analogous
function in others of his surrounding
circle, failed in his case, for his lower
teeth were almost entirely covered by
that salivary calculus popularity known
rs tartar"
The method adopted was to clear all
the tartar from the lower jaw and then
place in in a conical drachm measure,
to decalcify it by means of weak d.
luton of hydrochloric acid. This solu-
ton was afterward washed away and
the sediment examined drop by drop
under the microscope, a third OF an
inch objective being employed in the
examination. This main body of the
deposit was made up Of amorphous
particles, probably disintegrated meal
of some kind 1nterspersed were nu-
merous granules of silaceous nature;
these were fully accounted for by the
extensive grinding away OF the sum
mits of the moars, which were eroded
into deep pits, and must have been
productive Of intense discomfort, not
to say pain. The granules were found,
when tested by polarized light, to be
of two characters; some that were
finty and did not answer to that test,
while the others did so, and were
luartzite. He explained this was prob
ably the result Of the corn having been
rubbed down in a rOughly-made
1uartzite mortar, with round pebble
as a pestle
Among the first organic remains to
)e noticed was the sharply-pointed tip
# small fish's tooth, following which
we're the oval, horny cells of some
species of fruit resembling those go
ng to make up the parenchyma of
,pples, then husks of corn, the hairs
rom outside of the husks, spiral
essel from vegetable tissue, and sew
raj small ruby-colored, highly-re-
ractive bodies, which | could not
Scattered throughout the
ediments were oval bodies resembling
tarch corpuscles, such as may be
)und in potatoes; but as they did not
i've the characteristic black cross I'M
er polarized light it was decided they
build not be starch; further, any
arch would have been reduced to the
morpheus condition found in the gen.
al mass of the meal. Their true ma
Ire was afterward made evident by
nding a fiat plate of cartilage about
re-thirtieth of an inch square, from
e free edges of which these oval bod
S were being gradually extended, so
at by the disintegration of this sub
ance these bodies in their isolated
ndition proved puzzle. Here then
as evidence that the particles OF
cd locked up in this tartar could be
cognized after a lapse of time such
must have occurred since the stone
e in which they were masticated.
, evidences were found indicative of
e use of fire in cooking the food; it
1st therefore have been eaten raw