Evening star., 1935-06-01
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY

On the unprotected faces Of noun
tain cliffs in Southern California are
crude paintings which have with
stood exposure for at least $50 years.
The oil which forms the basic in
gredient Of the pigments used from
time immemorial by the Mission In
dians In these paintings, and which
may account for their permanence,
will be one of the objectives of DR..
John P. Harrington. Smithsonian In
stitution ethnologist. when he re-
sumes his field work among these
tribes.
BY extensive inquiries among the
Indians last Fall. Dr. Harrington con-
firmed the fact that this oil is pressed
from the seeds of the chilecothe. a
species Of wild cucumber. 1t now is
quite rare but grows in the Southern
California mountains in places known
to the Indians. Formerly closely re-
lated plants we're found all over the
United States but they now have
grown very scarce.
DR.. Harrington will try to obtain
enough of the chilecothe cucumbers
TO yield a sufficient supply of the
oil for experimental purposes. The
Indians obtain it in the crudest sort
of way. merely crushing 1t out Of
the seeds with a stone pestle. Using
this oil as base, five colors Of paint
are obtained. Red pigment is manu-
featured by mixing 1t with red scum
from the surface Of springs whose
water contains a high percentage of
iron. White and yellow paints are
obtained by mixing 1t with native
clays of those colors. A glossy black,
which retains its gloss for years, is
made by mixing the oil and oxide of
manganese. Blue can be obtained
from a mixture of the oil and pow
dered azulite. q mineral common in
the neighborhood. Apparently no
other substance enters into any Of
these paints, which withstand all the
vicissitudes of weather literally for
centuries.
These rock pictures are referred to
by the Indians as spirit paintings" "
Fresh ones still appear from time to
time in the depths of the mountains.
Near the missions are some which are
known to be at least $50 years old.
having antedated the coming of the
Spanish missionaries.
The spirits" always work during
the night, their handiwork appearing
in the morning. The paintings. Of
course, are the work of the medicine
men. The attitude toward them Of
the people as a whole Is a curious
mixture Of belief and sophistication.
Few actually believe that spirits"
produce the picture. but some still
hold that they are the work Of super
natural agencies working through the
medicine men. It was from some Of
the shamans themselves that DIR. Har-
rington obtained the formulas for the
paints.
The oil also is used extensively by
the Indian women as sunburn lotion.
These women, in spite Of their red
skins. burn badly when exposed to
the Summer sun for long periods.
The oil presumably not only absorbs
those wave lengths Of the solar spec
trum causing sunburn, as do many
preparations regularly sold for the
purpose at beaches. but also tends
to make the skin redder. Redness is
considered an attribute Of beauty.
4 4 4 4
The educated man" is . vanishing
ngure in American life.
The American college no longer Ia
in a position to turn. out such q
product. according to q critique Of
general education" tn the United
States by DR.. William s. Learned Of
the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad.
vancement of Teaching. In the an
nual report of that body.
As professional training has grown
more and more specific and eflcient
sp|turl training has become atmlsss