OR, A TREATISE ON PILE. 125 
Or PiLe Growine arreR DeatrnH.—Among the elder writers upon this subject, we find 
several accounts, apparently well authenticated, of hair growing after death ; but Bostock 
does not consider them worthy of credit. (See Syst. of Physi. p. 53.)  Bichat, however, 
assures us of one case, which came under his immediate notice, and fis word is not to be 
doubted. It was the beard of a chin of a subject preparing for anatomical examination, 
it had been closely shaven, and after maceration for about eight days, in a cellar of the 
dissecting-room, the beard was discovered to be grown, (how long we are not told.) 
We have, in our collection of specimens of pile, a lock of fine, dark brown hair from the 
head of the gallant Lieutenant Ayres, who died in Mexico during the late war. The body 
was buried in that country, but being disinhumed, after the lapse of a few months, it was 
found that the hair had grown upon his head, which, during his illness, had been shaved 
in order to apply blisters. 
We have also a lock of the head of John Dennis Garwood, an: infant son of Mr. John 
Garwood, of this city. This little innocent died and was buried, and disinterred after a 
lapse of twenty-one years; when alive, it had a remarkable long lock of hair, which pro- 
jected from a peculiar spot on its head; this, when the child died, was cut off and pre- 
served by the mother, and, when the coffin was opened, after having lain for this long 
period in the earth, this lock had been renewed, and had sprouted beyond the rest of the 
hair. 
Examination and Description of the Hair of John Dennis Garivood, which grew after 
Death.—Length, 4 inches ; shape, oval; greatest diameter varying from 5}, to ;s!;5 of an 
inch ; color, brown, no lustre; direction, flowing, slightly curling ; inclination, unknown. 
Ductihity, Elasticity and Tenacity.— 
With 220 grains one inch stretched 4; of an inch, elasticity entire. 
9 
6c td Ge be “ B 3 11 1 
270 an minus 55 
“ce 320 be se 73 30 “cc sé 2. 
, 90 
té 370 6“ 6c (73 ao “6 se 2 
0 90 
(73 420 ‘é 6 i 4 oe “é 55 
st’ A Oma me broke: 
Button, very rare and thin, diminutive ; sheath, none; follicle, none ; shaft, very unequal 
in diameter, of different filaments; upon rubbing between two pieces of glass the scales 
disengage, the cortex separates from the fibres which are white; no central canal percep- 
tible ; coloring matter in lines in the cortex; apex, pointed, none fureated; among the 
fibres was discovered one that was dlwe. 
Remark.—This is an imperfect hair. 
We have heard it asserted that sheep’s wool, left in its grease, (that is its yolk, or 
natural soap,) after having been separated from the body, will increase in weight; but we 
regard this as a popular error. In an Essay upon Sheep,* it is said that it may increase 
in weight for a few days, especially if kept in a damp place, but after that it rapidly 
* Library of Useful Knowledge, p. 74. 
