The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-03-07
MISCELLANY.
POOLING THE SENSES.

immense the forefinger of one hand in
water at 10t degrees Fahrenheit, and then
plunge the whole of the other hand into the
water with temperature of 102 degrees
Fahr enheit. The latter, although two de-
grees cooler, viii be judged to be the warm
or of the two, from which it appears that the
intensity of the sensation of temperature
depends not only upon the relative degree
of heat to which the parts are exposed, but
also upon the extent of surface over which
it is applied. From this cause bnth which
is not uncomfortably warm, when a few
fingers are dipped in it, appears scalding hot
when the whole body is immersed. The
sense of temperature is, likewise, entirely at
fault when required to determine which is
the warmer of two substances, say piece
of iron aud pieco of wood, for IL they both
have the same temperature, the iron will
feel the hotter of the two because of its be-
ing SO much better conductor A slight
difference of temperature. however, between
two substances of like nature is easily dis
cerned, and we mny here describe simple
but highly entertaining trick which is found-
ed on the fact.
Tho performer, having placed his hat be-
hind him, requests the people present to
place in it three or four pennies. He shakes
it up behind him, and then asks some per
son to take out a penny and closely exam
inc it. He has then to pass it 20 the others
for examination, the last one pitching it
back into the hat again. The pennies are
then shaken up, and the performer now,
placing one hand behind him, picks out the
penny which has been examined, although
throughout the whole operation he has never
done some two or three times successfully,
all sorts of unlikely suggestions are made as
to the way in which the feat has been per-
formed, but very seldom the right one,
which is exceedingly simple. The people.
In handling the penny which was selected
from the Others, make it warm. 1t is, there
fore, easy to pick it out from the others
when it has been pitched into the hat again.
This sufficiently demonstrates the fact that
at ordinary temperatures tho sense of tenn
perature as localized in the fingers is sufii-
GENTLY sensitive to discriminate between
several pieces of metal 30 as to say which is
the warmest.
But for the extremes of hot and cold
touch is thoroughly deceived, a piece of
frozen mercury giving burning sensation
like red-hot bar of metal. The touch
which attains to such perfection in persons
afflicted with blindness is readily deceived
This is shown forcibly by the experiment of
Aristotle. Cross the index and middle
fingers and run them over a marble placed
on the table with the eyes shut. Under such
circumstances one has difficulty in avoiding
the belief that he is dealing with two mar
bles instead of one. The idea of roundness
which has been obtained by a complex
Judgment, founded ON the coalescence of
several sensations, is here appealed to, but
the usual conditions being reversed, we draw
q wrong conclusion. The sense of taste
may be likewise COMPOUNDED by altering the
conditions under which the gustatory opera
ton is always carried on. Thus, if the
nostrils be held firmly, it is impossible to
distinguished between applying an onion OF
an apple to the tongue. Science for AL.