The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1903-01-09
FOOD OF THE STONE AGE.
Examination OF His Teeth Shows
Whas Prehistoric Man Lived On.

i
ing OF, this subject in the London
Science Gossip says that palaeontol-
ogy affords many glimpses tendinl to
the calculation Of the lives OF our pre-
historic ancestors, but, though 1t pro-
vides information that may be saith
cred from a consideration OF the Weap-
ons and domestic implements. 1t re-
mains for the microscope to throw
measure of light on their food. Sew
eral years ago barrow was opened
on the downs near Warminstcr in
which a number of human and ami
NAL remains were found heaped over
the skeleton of an infant. HAY
ing been allowed by Mr.. W. Cunning
ham, who opened this barrow, to make
all examination Of some OF the human
laws, I shall describe as clearly as
can the condition of one as bearing on
the question of prehistoric tood. Inc
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, Tor his lower
teeth were almost entirely covered by
that salivary calculus popularity known
as tartar"
The method adopted was to clear al
the tartar from the lower jaw and then
place in in conical drachm measure.
to decalcify it by means OF a weak al
luton of hydrochloric acid. This sulu-
ton was afterward washed away and
the sediment examined drop by drop
under the microscope, third OF an
inch objective being employed in the
examination. This main body OF s4e
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 molars, 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
flinty and did not answer to that test,
while the others did so, and were
stated by an eminent geologist to be
quartzite He explained this was prob
ably the result Of the corn having been
rubbed down in roughly-made
1uartzite mortar, with round pebble
as pestle.
Among the first organic remains to
oe noticed was the sharply-pointed tip
If small fishs tooth, following which
we're the oval, horny cells Of some
species of fruit resembling those 60
ne to make up the parenchyma OF
lpples, then husks Of corn, the hairs
rom outside of the husks, spiral
essel from vegetable tissue, and sew
raj small ruby-co(ored, highly-re-
ractive bodies, which could not
ecognize. Scattered throughout the
ediments were oval bodies resembling
tarch corpuscles, such as may be
0und in potatoes; but as they did not
i've the characteristic black cross I'M
er polarized light, it was decided thew
ould not be starch; further, any
tarch would have been reduced to the
morpheus condition found in the gen.
raj mass of the meal. Their true ma
IRE was afterward made evident by
nding a fiat plate of cartilage about
ne-thirtieth of an inch square, from
le free edges of which these oval bod
IS were being gradually extended, SO
lat by the disintegration of this sub
.ance these bodies in their isolated
ondition proved puzzle. Here, then
as evidence that the particles OF
,od locked up in this tartar could be
ecognized after a lapse of time such
) must have occurred since the stone
ge in which they were masticated.
O evidences were found indicative Of y
le use of fire in cooking the food; 1t
ust therefore have been eaten raw