Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-10-08
WEATHER AND NERVES
EFFECT OF Sun. TEMPERATURE
AND WIND on MANKIND.
New Field Opening to the MeteorOlo-
sales.--future Weather Indications
May Include Warnings as
to Human Conduct.
Frnm he New York Sun.

From the New York sun.
AT no very distant day said the
weather bureau man. the daily weather
prediction will possess much greater sig
nificance than al present. We shall then
scan the bulletin not only 10 find out
whether 10 postpone a picnic or to carry
an umbrella, but also to gain clue TO
the probable conduct of our fellow beings,
whose behavior. according 10. modern the
Dry, varies with variations in temperature,
humidity and the velocity of the wind. To
the physician certain weather indications
will prove a warning of danger TO patients
lowering between life and death: TO the
teacher. that he pupils will be unruly or
stupid; 10 the chief of police they will in
dictate day of assaults, murders and sui
cides: TO the keeper of 4 penitentiary or
insane asylum, time OF extra watchful-
ness over his wards to avert fractions out
breaks; TO the banker, a change in the
weather may bring anxiety lest serious
! errors creep into his accounts or affect
financial calculations; and TO the ordinary
| citizen the prevalence of certain weather
conditions will indicate that mental or ply
steal operations should be curtailed or
| that a decision to some momentous af-
fair of business should be postponed TO 4
season when the intellect shall be clearer
and the judgment less cIouded.
That climate and weather influence feel
! ing and conduct is universally admitted.
! The fact Is recognized in popular tradition
/ and in general literature. and the princi-
| pal theories concerning il are familiar to
the public Everybody understands eli
matte effects upon d character The diff
| ferences between tropical races and those
| living in the temperate zones, the de-
and the stimulating effect of bright, sunny
weather, are large facts in meteOrology
| that are common knowledge That spring
| causes a revival of human energy, that
suicides
winter. that extremes of heat and cold
! kill off human beings like a pestilence-
| sions as to meteorological influence that
seem to be generally accepted.
But we are on the eve of a refinement
| of the science that will extend its scope
| very materially. Past Investigations have
been concerned with the larger effects of
| seasons in which certain weather condi-
! tons have been concerned with the effects
upon the conduct OF human beings of daily
variations In temperature humidity and
| the velocity of the wind. The weather bu-
! reau has a small fund at its disposal for
making Investigations of this character.
| but has done little more than outline some
! of the elemental features of the cOmpli-
| Gated problems involved. In making these
! Investigations the meteOrologist goes on
+, the theory that the human body is ma
| chine capable Of developing only d certain
| amount of energy per Individual. which
| output must suffice to maintain his bodily
| functions and in addition to provide re-
| serve fund out of which must come the
| energy. physical or mental, expended III
! daily labor or other exercise. Now it is OBJ
vious that weather conditions that can eff
| feet an increase or reduction in this fund
| of surplus energy will have more or less
| influence on conduct. The weather is, how
| ever, always secondary cause. II serves
| to create or help to create the conditions
| under which We lose the power to inhibit
them. Weather also has influence over
/ emotional states of mind. and these. too,
are factors in determining conduct.
To illustrate. 1t has been found that the
| best work of pupils in the public schools of
! New York is done on days which are cold.
| calm or clear and their worst work on hot
| or muggy days Their department az
| evidenced by the larger number of dement's
entered. is worst on cloudy days. The sui
! eide. strangely enough, in majority OF
! cases. chooses fair day for self-destruc-
ton. The errors made By bank clerks are
| most common in the months of July and
August. and more are made on the days of
highest temperature than on any other.
| Bodily assaults are most frequent in spring
and summer, and the sCeptibilty of the
| female sex To weather influences Is shown
| in the larger proportion of assaults COM
mitted by women in July and August. 1t
IS found that the unseasonably hot days
Of spring and autumn are more productive
| of pusnacity than other hot days, even
though the heat be much less than in sum
mCr.. As general rule it appears that
warm weather and sunny days pro-
| ductive of human energy, whether for good
or evil, and that very cold or very hot or
windy or humid days are depressing in
their effect, and while they may be irritat-
ing to the temper. are not conductive to
accurate or energetic action In the one
case the favorable meteorological cCndi-
tons seem TO release quantity of human
energy which in the other would be drawn
, upon 10 counteract unfavorable conditions.
To what extent the human machine is re-
sponsiye to daily variations in weather is
unknown but that it is responsive: just
varying loads, is the conclusion to which
all recent inquiries lead.
The wind. continues the weather man.
exercises meteorological influence of i'm
) portance. IN many countries there are
winds to which are popularity and cor
rectly ascribed certain physiological and
mental effects. The facilitating influence
of the famous east wind of the English
coast is well known. 4 more remarka bile
example is found in the moist north wind
|. which blows over BuenOs Ayres This
damp wind of La Plata says an observer,
. seems to affect the temper and disposition
of the inhabitants. The irritability and Ill
humor it eXcites in them amount to little
less than temporary arrangement OF their
moral faculties. 1t Is common thing fol
men among the better class to shut them
selves in their houses during its contin
| uance and lay aside all business until Il
has passed: while among the lower classes
| ii Is always remarked that cases of quar-.
reling and bloOdshed more frequen
| during the north wind than at any Other
time. Even rlurderers are said to lay Il
II the blame of their foul deeds. No sooner
; howev does the southwest wind blowing
3 from the dry and snowy submits Of the
Andes set in than health and comfort anC
peace are restored.
The dry winds of Colorado appear to in
. duCe an electrical state that works havo,
! with the emotions. This suggests the Iarg,
l part which electrical conditions In the at
s mosphere may play in affecting human ac
. tiOns. As to this phase of the subject lit
tie is known. 1t has been observed tina
the electricity produced by the dry wind
of Colorado has various effects upon tn
people of that state. 1t shows itself. &C
cording to one authority, in mild insomni;
or occasional irritability of disposition
Even horses feel the influence. especial!
when brought from lower attitudes, an
4; their trainers are always anxious abou
their ability TO control the animals in III
: excitement of a race. In the human thi
electrical atmosphere induces an aston
ishing degree of energy. a man is enable
. pressure but this cannot be maintaine
long without collapse. As a consequence
: professional men are compelled to TAX
| frequent vacations and in general To short
B.: en- their working hours. For the same rea
son the school year has been cOnSidera bl
;; | shortened. If such effects are observed Il
Colorado it is altogether likely that tn
= | electricity is exercising its subtle influence
| elsewhere in many ways. There is here
| wide field for investigation which has 4
| vet been barely touched. The future i'm
| doubtedly holds in store an expansion O
the science Of meteorology that will be on
| of the marvelS of the twentieth century