ree in the occipital region running
transversely. The occipitofrontalis muscle had no action on them. The
second case was that of an idiot of forty-four of a more degraded type
than the previous one. The cranium was round and bullet-shaped and the
hair generally thick. The scalp was not so lax as in the other case,
but the furrows were more crooked. By tickling the scalp over the back
of the neck the two median furrows involuntarily deepened.

Impervious Skin.--There have been individuals who claimed that their
skin was impervious to ordinary puncture, and from time to time these
individuals have appeared in some of the larger medical clinics of the
world for inspection. According to a recent number of the London
Graphic, there is in Berlin a Singhalese who baffles all investigations
by physicians by the impenetrability of his skin. The bronzed
Easterner, a Hercules in shape, claims to have found an elixir which
will render the human skin impervious to any metal point or sharpened
edge of a knife or dagger, and calls himself the "Man with Iron Skin."
He is now exhibiting himself, and his greatest feat is to pass with his
entire body through a hoop the inside of which is hardly big enough to
admit his body and is closely set with sharp knife-points, daggers,
nails, and similar things. Through this hoop he squeezes his body with
absolute impunity. The physicians do not agree as to his immunity, and
some of them think that Rhannin, which is his name, is a fakir who has
by long practice succeeded in hardening himself against the impressions
of metal upon his skin. The professors of the Berlin clinic, however,
considered it worth while to lecture about the man's skin, pronouncing
it an inexplicable matter. This individual performed at the London
Alhambra in the latter part of 1895. Besides climbing with bare feet a
ladder whose rungs were sharp-edged swords, and lying on a bed of nail
points with four men seated upon him, he curled himself up in a barrel,
through whose inner edges nails projected, and was rolled about the
stage at a rapid rate. Emerging from thence uninjured, he gracefully
bows himself off the stage.

Some individuals claim immunity from burns and show many interesting
feats in handling fire. As they are nothing but skilful "fire jugglers"
they deserve no mention here. The immunity of the participants in the
savage fire ceremonies will be discussed in Chapter IX.

Albinism is characterized by the absolute