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ALEXANDER WHISTELO.

575

lowed the profession of an attor-
ney, ot a serivener, who bad
a very amorous wife, But he
had not I¢isure to attend to all
hhér gayeties. Once, that he was
unable otherwise to free himself
from her importanities, in toy-
ing with her he upset hia ink bot-
tle in her shoes. She brought
him a black ebild in juence,
He reprosched her, but she re-

minded him of the ink bottle,
and of his awkwardness. There
is also the story told by Male-
branche, of the woman who saw
a man broken on the wheel, and
bore a mangled and disjointed
child. If such changes as tho
last are true (and there is etrong
authority for it), then the mere
change of color or complexion is
not difficult to believe.

(The arom-examination of Dr. Mitehill was continued by Mr.
Sampson; and extending to a variety of topics, produced much
aneedote and repartee. The subject of the albinos was fully dis-
cussed, Their feeble structure—weak eyes—leprous appearance—
their being found chiefly in low latitudes; and the Chacrelas of
Java, the Bedas of Ceylon, and the white indians of Darien were
instaneed; who are all within the eighteenth degrees of north or
south latitude, Mr, Buffon’s opinion was cited, that they were not
a distinct race, but individuals degenerating from black to an adal-
terated white: supposing the blacka to have degenerated originally
from the white to black. But as it was admitted, that the whiteness
of this child bears no resemblance to that of the albinos, and can-
not be explained on the samo principles, it is unnecessary to pursue
all the details of the examination on that point,

The proximate cause of the fairness of the albinos was stated to
be the absence of the rete mucosum, which gives color to the black
men: and the dots and redness of the eyes in albinos waa supposed
owing to organic delbility which admits of extravasation of the
blood, and of its lodging in the globules in the iris. The want of
the rete mucosum, which fortifies the eye of the negro against the
son's glare, is the reason at once why the eyes of an albino are
unable to bear the aun, and more fitted to see by night.

Mr. Sampson mentioned the two childen of Chamouni, or albinos
of the Alps, with whom he had frequently conversed. He com-
pared their eyes to those of owls and other animals, fitted for night
or long twilight, which called forth an anecdote from the witness,
of a numerous fight of white arctic owls, which had some years
ago visited this city, remained some time, and then disappeared,
having never been heard of before or sinee. Dr. Mitchill also’ men-
tioned the white sparrows of Sweden, the hares of Albany, and s
white bird with which he had been regaled in Canada, whose flesh
was very delicate. But to a question put by the counsel, he an-
ewered that he had never seen a race of white deaf dogs.

Mr. Sampson. Doctor, since your opinions were likely to be un-
favorable to the side I am to advoeate, I must avail myself of the
privilege of crossexamination. It would be necessary with 80
learned a witness to say, that the adverb cross was not to be taken
in the vulgar acceptation. Cross was in coutra-distinction to direct;

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