The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
WEATHER AND THE NERVES.
EFFECT OF sun. TEMPERATURE AND
WIND ON MANKIND.

Future Weather Indications May Inc
clude Warnings as to Human Conduct
some Observations Already Mnde.
AT no very distant day." said tho Weather
Bureau man, the daily weather prediction
will possess much greater significance than ut
present. We shall then scan the bulletin not
only to find out whether to postpone n picniu
or to carry an umbrella, but also to gain clue
to the probable conduct OF our fellow beings.
whose behavior, according to modern theory.
varies with variations in temperature humid.
ity and the velocity OF tho wind. To the ply.
stefan certain weather indications will prove
warning OF danger to patients lowering be.
tween life and death: to the teacher. that her
pupils will be unruly or stupid to the chief OF
police they will indicate day OF assaults. naur,
ders and suicides: to the keeper OF a penitenv
tiary or insane asylum. time OF extra watch.
fulness over his wards to avert fractions outs
breaks: to the banker. change In the
weather may bring an xiety lest serious errors
creep into his accounts or affect financial GALE
cuations: and to the ordinary citizen the prev.
alence OF certain weather conditions will In.
dictate that mental or physical operations
should be curtailed or that a decision as to
some momentous affair OF business should be
postponed to n season when the intellect shall
be clearer and the Judgment less clouded.
That climate and weather influence feeling
ana COnuuct IS universally uUmltteQ. Inc Iuct
is recognized in popular tradition and in gen.
eral literature. and tho principal theories con.
corning it are familiar to the public. Every.
body understands climatic effects upon char
acter. The differences between tropical races
and those living in the temperate zones, the
depressing influence OF damp rainy day and
the stimulating effect OF bright. sunny weather.
are large facts In meteorology that are com.
mon knowledge. That spring causes a revival
Of human energy. that more suicides occur in
summer than In winter. that extremes of
heat and cold kill off human beings like pos
tience-these are some Of the scientific con-
illusions as to meteorological influence that
seem to be generally accepted.
But we are on the eve OF n refinement OF the
science that will extend its scope very materi-
ally. Past investigations have been concerned
with the larger effects Of seasons in which cer-
tain weather. conditions were prevalent. Re-
cent Investigations 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
Bureau 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 complicated prob
lens involved. In making these investiga.
tions the meteorological goes on the theory
that the human body is a machine capa-
BILE of developing only certain amount OF
energy per individual. which OUTPUT must suf-
fee to maintain his bodily functions and In
addition to provide reserve fund out Of which
must come the energy. physical or mental. ex-
pended in daily labor or other exercise. Now
it 10 obvious that weather conditions that can
effect an increase or reduction In this fund OF
surplus energy will have more or less influence
on conduct The weather is, however. always
q secondary cause. 1t serves to create or help
to create the conditions under which certain
acts can or will be done or 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
ITO illustrate, 1t hos 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. as evidenced
by the larger number OF dement's entered. 10
worst cloudy days. The suicide. strangely
enough. In a majority Of cases. chooses a fair
day for self-dsstruction. The errors made By
bank clerks are most com mon 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 susceptibility OF
the female sex to weather influences is shown
in the larger proportion OF assaults COM
mitted by women In July and August. 1t 10
found that the unseasonably hot days OF
spring and autumn are more productive
OF ruRnacity than other hot days. even though
the heat be much less than In summer. Asa
general rule. 1t appears that warm weather
and sunny days are productive 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 irritating to the temper. are not conducive
to accurate or energetic action. In the one
case the favorable meteorological conditions
seem to release quantity OF human energy
which in the other would be drawn upon to
counteract untavorable conditions To what
extent the human machine is responsive to
daily variations in weather is unknown. but
that 1t is responsive. Just as modern steam
engine is responsive to varying loads. is the
conclusion to which all recent inquiries lead.
Tho wind" continued the weather man.
exercises a meteorological influence OF im-