The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-20
THE MOON,
Theories as to How She Affects Human
Beings.
baltimore Sunday News. J

baltimore Sunday News.
The statement that the moon affects the
humen body may at first sight seem non
sense, but the feet is when we examine il a
little 1t does not SEEN so absurd after all.
The moon certainly exercises an i3fiuence
over all fluids on the earth, and the human
body is about three-fourth water. 1t is said
that If we put human body into an oven
and make it perfectly dry it will 60 down
from $50 to about forty pounds.
People who are born when the moon is
rising are more subject TO her influence in
after life than oilers. They frequently have
the habit of walking in their sleep, aud
about the time of her fulling they are greatly
subject to dreams. Another curious thing
is that, If near sighted, their eyes grow more
dim at the opposition and the change. It is
also well known that there are animals
horses for instance-ghich are mO0r-eyed I,
that is, their sight is better or worse through
the month, according to the condition of the
moon. The same is said OF some dogs
There are certain ply astrological facts in con
neciion with the female sex and the lesser
luminary which absolutely establish beyond
any que stion the direct and powerful infiu.
ence of the moon over the human body
They can not be described in print nor is
the relationship generally understood by
physicians except those familiar with the
very ancient lore of their science.
A whole volume might be filled with the
literature of the moon-not only the astro-
logical notion attached to her, but the curl
Gus myths ard legends Nothing is better
known than the insane are affected by her
beams at certain seasons, and yet there are
some doctors who deny it. The famous Ea-
glish physician, Forbes Winslow, who made
an exhaustive investigation of the subject
in summing up the various theories as to
how the moon acts upon the demented, says
1t is impossible to ignore the evidences of
such men as Plnol Daquin, Guislain and
others. The astrological idea is that the
planet acts on the moist matter of the brain.
Some OF tho French Psychologists thought
that the insane were observed TO be more
troublesome when the moon was full, be-
cause the light would naturally make them
Sc, preventing them from sleeping But this
is very poor explanation, for, although the
moon is at her full every month. the nights
ere not always bright-there may be week
or more of cloudiness-but the restlessneSs
and excitement among the lunaiics is seen 70
be just the same, and to exist by day as well
as after dark. DR.. Winslow's suggestion was
as follows: May not the alleged changes OBJ
served among the insane at certain phases of
the moon arise, not from the direct, but the
indirect influence of the planet2 1t is we'll
known that the rarity Of the air. the electric
conditions of the atmosphere. the degree of
heat, dryness, moisture, and amount of wind
prevailing, are all more or less modified by
the state of the moon. In the generality OF
bodily diseases what obvious changes are OBJ
served to accompany the meteorological con-
6ition referred to? Surely those suffering
from diseases of the brain and nervous sys-
tenn affecting the mind can not with any
show of reason be considered as exempt from
the operations of agencies that are univer-
sally admitted to affect patients aff icted with
other diseases" He gives an instance fur
Their on of lady of Ruch intelligence en-
ploy ed as matron in his establishment for in
sane ladies during some five years, who in
formed him that the period of the full moon
invariably created a great agitation among
the patients.