Article July 13, 1899 Issue

About Man

W. B. Dickson

Dear Editor:— I send you a clipping from the New England Magazine which will fully explain to you what you are made of, and I have no doubt that you will be grateful to me for forwarding this information. It is as follows :—

All the constituents of a man weighing one hundred and fifty pounds are contained in twelve hundred ordinary eggs. There is enough gas in a man to fill a gasometer of 3,649 cubic feet ; enough hydrogen to fill a balloon that would lift himself; enough iron to make seven tacks; enough fat to make three to seven pounds of candles as well as a good cake of soap; enough carbon to make sixty-five gross of lead pencils, and enough phosphorous to make 8,064 boxes of matches. Six salt cellars full of salt, a good bowlful of sugar, and a nine and one-half gallon cask of water are other component parts.

I think, however, in your case, being an editor, letting your light shine so well, and doing so much pencil work, the supply of carbon is somewhat used up, and would probably not equal sixty-five gross of pencils, also the seven pounds of candles must be short. I want you to understand, too, that in your case I draw the line at the gas constituent,—for I have never seen any such indications.

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