River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-10-12
THE SENSE OF TOUCH.
Curious Facts Relating 70 the Sensitive
ness of the skin.

Curious Facts Relating 70 the Sensitive
ness of the Skin.
If there is any subject that people in
general think they are specially ia
miliar with, that subject is their own
sense Of touch or slxin-feeling. Yet how
few viii not be surprised to learn that
the points of pair of eompasses held
two and three-ffths inches apart
against the middle of ones own back
feel like but one point? II opened out
to two and a half inches they feel like
two This was discovered by Weber in
a series of experiments to which Mr..
Herbert Spencer has lately called at
tention.
Weber found the tips of the forefin-
gers could feel the two points when
they were one-twelfth of an inch apart,
but not when closer together. Between
this fine sensitiveness and the coarse
sensitiveness of the middle of the back
all the outer parts of the body vary.
For instance, the inner surfaces OF
the second joints of the forefinger can
distinguish the two compass points
one-sixth of an inch apart. The in
nermost points have less sensitiveness
of this sort, but rank in it equal with
the tip of the nose. The end of the
toe, the palm of the hand and the
cheek have alike one-fifth of the per
ceptiveness of the tip of the forefin-
ger, and the lower part of the fore
head has one-half that of the cheek.
The back of the hand and crown OF
the head are nearly alike in having
fourteen times less sensitiveness OF
this sort than the tip of the forefin.
ger. The thigh has less near the knee,
and the points of the compasses must
be an inch and one-half apart before
the breast ceases to feel them as one.
MIR. Spencer accounts for these diff
ferences on the ground of the greater
practice of some parts of the body In
feeling various objects. For instance,
the inger-tips are educated in the mat.
ter, and their qualities transmitted by
inheritance To successive generations.
The tongue, always feeling the teeth.
and often feeling particles of food, IS
still better educated. It's tip car dis
tinguish between compass points one
twenty-fourth of an inch apart, and is
the most sensitive member of the body.
APthSNA . WIN
some well known facts. For example,
he showed what was pretty well known
long before he was born, that the fin.
ger-tips of the blind are more sensitive
than those of persons who can see, and
who therefore do not practice their
sense of touch so much. He also found
that skilled type-setters We're more
sensitive than the blind on whom he
experimental, for the type-setter,
could distinguish both compass points
when one-seventeenth of an inch apart
1t may be suggested that many facts
could be adduced to show that parts OF
the body do not become more but
less sensitive by continual touching OF
things. The fingers of a seamstress
are often "calloused" by needle priclxs
or pressures, and yet she is always as
much seeking to avoid the pricking as
the type-setter is to seize but one type
But in such scientific matters theo
ries are plenty, and easily made. The
facts themselves are the interesting
things, as are all pieces of novel infor.
nation bout the wonderful human
body.-Youth's Companion.