Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-27
TIE PARENTS OF LIGHT.

"Scientific Idealisn,,' for want of
better name, we have had the great
pleasure of listening to one of Prof.
Cummings admirable lectures in
Milwaukee, in which he described
and illustrated the origin Of sound,
heat and light. His definitions in
every way conceded with those
which our readers received in that
article, which we then stated were
those of the leading scientists of the
day. In addition to these defini-
tons, the Prof. proceeded to prove
by chemical combinations produc-
ing light of various colors, that
light and color are indeed of the eye
and brain. Nothing could be more
convincing than his argument and
demonstration. We only regret
that our candid adversary, Mrs. Al
lerton, had not been present to listen
and be converted.
Mrs. A. still insists that cit is the
wave motions of the air that pro-
duce sound" Prof. Cunning who
is studious experimental scientist;
rigid contender for ssfacts" declares
that those motions are soundless un
til they strike upon the drum Of the
ear. Here we leave it, with the
only logical conclusion that can be
drawn from this theory 1t is not
ear but brain that hears, or cxper-
fences the sensation of sound: the
ear-drum is one indispensable agent
in producing sound; a sufficiently
rapid motion of the air is the other.
Of course Mrs. Allerton's deafness
would not annihilate sound. SO LONG
as there are plenty of ears beside
her own; but let every ear disap-
pear, and sound goes also-if this
theory of the scientists be true.
''lf there is motion. there must be
something to mover certainly, that
IS not for moment disputed; and
it was this motion OF the ultimate
particles of matter, called atoms,
which ''scprched and charredn the
limbs of the insensable drunkard;
According to this theory-not our
Theory, not the idealists theory, but
the scientists theory-it is not heat
which destroys, but motion; the
same motion which in oommmuni-
cation with brain, through sensitive
nerves translates itself as hear. Mrs.
Allerton says snerves are sentinels
warning Of heat" Certainly not
according to science. They are SEN
tinels truly, whose pain tells the in
telligence seated in the brain, that
an intensely destructive motion is at
hand. The motion would exist if
there were no nerves, and all it's
mighty works would be wrought
the same, but heat is only the sem
sation which a asenstive object feels
in contact with that motion. A po-
tatoe in kettle Of boiling water
feels no heat, is not subject to heat,
but to motion whose agency will
change the arrangement of its atoms
and otherwise work upon it its Won
ders; but nervous hand subjected
to that motion knows pain and tells
it to the brain and the brain names
that sensation heat.
The same with light and color.
Were there no eyes, this inconceiv-
ably rapid motiono the ether atoms
would still exist and work its Won
ders upon animate and inanimate
object: but the earis not fine enou gh
to take .cognizance Of them; it can
only send to the brain the slowest or
sound waves; and tie nerves of the
hand are too gross to receive them.
These nerves are only capable of
sensation keen enough to recognize
the slower waves, which intelligence
translates as heat; hence these rapid
est undulations would go unrecog-
nized, save in their effects, were it
not for the delicate organism of
the eye, which gives them to
the brain by some unfathomed
process, and SO floods the soul
with 1ioht and color. ~