The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-18
TO-DAY
and until Christmas
our establishment will
be open evenings.
Theodore A.KOhn & Son
SO West 23d Street.
1HE NEW HArny EXPERIMENTS.
Velocity Ct the Frncer'r TIL ruEht and Aotic-
Measured by r ettricitr.

Measured by r ettricitr.
NEW HAVEN. Conn, Dec 1.-THE ANAL re-
suit OF the tests made on the fencers In tho
Yale gymnasium last evening has not been de-
termined Professor Scripture in speaking Of
tho experiments said:
The main object OF the experiment on the
fencers was to determine whether their SUI
perior quickness lie due to the auickness Of
their m VASCULAR action. or whether It 10 due to
quick mental action. The experiment was d.
vided into four different hcads The first ex-
pertinent was to determine simple reaction
time An electric current was passed
through the foil OF the fencer and also
through metal disk. the latter being about
four inches In diameter. Every time the cleo
trio current was Drok en- record wns made on
a smoked drum. This was done by tho iencer
taking his foil and then taking the position
%s T wsG The poit Of the fol against the
disk which have described,
=" The fcncer received the command to
lungs by the moving OF a small piece OF paper
which was placed before hin, and the move
Ing OF which broke the electric re current. Thus
was broken. and by an intricate electric ar
rangemont We measured the actual time II
took the fencer to act alter the paper had
:" The second test was 10 get the time It took
the fencer to make tho lunge by getting the
time at which the muscles started to act and
the time at which they had executed the
Struck s the Object at which tho iunge was
made. This was done by the metal disk WHICH
the foil struck. recording third dot on the
smok oil surface beside the other two.
" The third test was to determine what 10
known as discrimination time In this test
| the fencer was stationed rs before. save that
| he locke at three pieces OF paper. and he did
not know which one OF the three was to be
moved.
| piece OF paper had been moved, and then start
| his foil to make II lunge We thus measured
| the time between the moving 81 the signal and
| the beginning Of the lunge This involved an
| extra IN entail movement before the muscular
:" The fourth experiment was distinctly sep
| arate from the first three. In this test there
| was "a disk OF about four inches diameter, and
| 10 the centre of this was hulls-eye at VIII CHI
| distance between the point the fencer hit and
| the snut he aimed at AMI thus got the ac-
I've have mot yet dotermir ed the exact re-
| cults Of tho tests. All think the result will be
| that the irncers execute the actual muscular
movements much more quickly than tho pro-
| fcssors. tut that the professors think more
| quickly. and start the actual movement sooner.
| but lose time in CONF letting the latter.
This. Of course, is a general result. The
| theory IL that the stimulus must pass from tho
| eye to the optical centres In the brain. then by
| some unknown paths to the surface OF the
brain and the spinal cord. and out through the
| nerves OF the arms and legs and muscles. We
| are trying to decide whether 1t is muscular
action. or various mental powers. that make
| the fencer superior.
After this Same manner we hope some tImo
IN decide whether tho football player Ia sp-
| pArior to the oarsnlau. and 90 on. i should
think. although II has not been proved. that
the football PLACER. always having 10 be on the
alert. would TO the quicker man.
" believe that fencing is not so much .
mental exercise a. IL Is q training In quicknos
OF physical execution. We know by experience
labor comes hard, even though We have boon
resting the muscles"