Olt, A TREATISE ON 1'ILK. 



CHAPTER V 1 1 . 



HAIR THAT HAS BKEN SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF THE ANIMAL NEVER ACQUIRES A 



DISTINCT LIFE. It has been supposed that a hair, laid ibr .some time in a stream or pool 

 of water, is transformed into a rvm m ; but this is a popular error. It will appear to be 

 animated; but that is owing to animalcules with which it becomes invested. There is an 

 annelida called "the hair-worm," (Gordius Aquaticus,) which is found in stagnant pools, 

 and this name has probably aided in propagating this error. Such a transmigration as a 

 luiir of a mammalia into a worm, which belongs to another class of animals, is unnatural, 

 and should not obtain credence except upon positive testimony.* 



OF THE ELECTRICITY OF PILE. Pile, when dry, is electric, and by rubbing it, sparks 

 and even detonations may be produced. 



L'Heritier says, that many sick persons have died from cutting or shaving the hair of 

 the head, and he attributes it to the disturbance of the currents of electricity. (Traite de 

 Chem. Path., p. 616.) 



* In tin.- Lifp and Correspondence of Robert Southey, p. 206, is a letter from him to Dr. Soutliej, dated "Keswick, Juno 

 6th, 1813," in which lie says : 



"My DEAR HARRY : Do you want to make your fortune in the philosophical world? If so, you may thank Owen Lloyd 

 for the happiest opportunity that was ever put into an aspirant's hands. You must have heard the vulgar notion that a 

 horse hair, plucked out bv the root and put into water, becomes alive in a few days. The boys at Brathay repeatedly told 

 their mother it was true that they had tried it themselves, and seen it tried. Her reply was, ' Show it me, and I will 

 believe it.' While we wore there, last week, in came Owen with two of these creatures in a bottle. Wordsworth was there; 

 and to our utter and unutterable astonishment did the boys, to convince us that these long, thin black worms, were of their 

 own manufactory by the old receipt, lay hold of them by the middle, while they writhed like eels, and stripping them with 

 their nails down each side, actually lay bare the horse hair in the middle, which seemed to serve as the bm-k-boncof the crea- 

 ture, or the substratum of the living matter which had collected around it. 



"Wordsworth and I should both have supposed that it was a collection of animalcuhc round the hair, (which, however, 

 would only be changing the nature of the wonder,) if we could, in any way, have accounted for the motion upon this theory; 

 but the motion was that of a snake. We could perceive no head ; but something very like the root of the hair ; and, for 

 want of glasses, could distinguish no parts. The creature, or whatever else you may please to call it, is black or dark brown, 

 and about the girth of a fiddle-string. 



" As soon as you have read this, draw upon your horse's mane and tail for half a dozen hairs ; be sure that they have roots 

 to them ; bottle them separately in water, and when they are alive and kicking, call in Gooch, and make the fact known to 

 the philosophical world.* Never in my life was I so astonished as at seeing, what even in the act of seeing I could scarcely 

 believe, and now almost doubt. If you verify the experiment, as Owen and all his brethren will swear must be the case, 

 you will be able to throw some light upon the origin of your friend the tape-worm, and his diabolical family. 



"No doubt you will laugh and disbelive this, and half suspect that I am jesting. But, indeed, I have only told you the 

 fact as it occurred; and you will at once see its whole importance in philosophy, and the use which you and Gooch may 

 derive from it, coming forth with a series of experiments, and with such deductions as your grey-hound sight and beagle 

 scent will soon start and pursue. 



"And, if the horse's hair succeeds, Sir Domine, by parallel reasoning, you know, try one of your own. R. S." 



* We presume that the horse's hair did not succeed, for we hear no more of the mnM<T 



