The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-22
SCIENCE STUDYING DRuNkARps,


A last good use has been found 70,
IL the drunkard. He is lust now IN
great demand as q laboratory sub.
Ject. Science Is becoming rapidly more
economical and 10 allowing nothing good
or bad, to go to waste. Sometimes she
shocks the humanitarian element by her
proposition to vivisect condemned crimi-
nails and helpless lunatics. But no one can
take exception to the newly-deyised labo-
ratory tests through which the inebriate
is being put.
The new science of man study is one in
which mans own observation Is little
trusted Diagnoses are machine made.
The new man study laboratories, fast be-
ing established all over the world, are
equippe. with scores of automatic, me-
chanical scientists who do the work with
an accuracy which defles human compe-
tition. They feel the pulse, count the
breathing. keep tally of the minutes trem-
bling, gauge the acuteness of the sense,
and even time the brain action. They
write their own records in a hieroglyphical
language of curves and angles all their
own The tippler returning in the wee,
small hours of the early morn, to face
his better three-eQuarters, may chance to
conceal his true condition from her. But
the automatic scientists of the modern
man study laboratories are all preceiving
and cannot be fooled.
His Thought Speed.
The timing of the alcoholic brain and
comparing its speed with that of sober
thinking organs is an experiment now en-
gaging the attention of laboratory expert
mentors throughout the world.
You can try simple brain timing test
upon your frien>- by forming them into an
endless chain, of which you are link In
taking hold Of hands. Place watch be-
fore you, and when the seconu land reach
es the sixty mark press the hand of your
neighbOr to the right, he being instructed
n m 70 10 me uo hmm dinto "
to his nefghbOr, and SO on around. Note
by watch when the signal comes back to
your left hand. The number of seconds di-
vided by the number of persons gives the
person In the ring to receive a signal and
obey it. ,ere you to make this expert
ment upon number of people who had
not tasted alcohol for week and then re-
peat 1t after they had each imbibed. even
a small amount you would note some in
teresting results But perhaps it would
not be best to make this test an excuse
for holding a social tipple.
Timing the Brain.
Brain timers. comprising stop clocks,
which measure time in thousandths of a
second. falling disks which give the mind
a signal, and electric attachments which
note the instant 4. is carried out have been
devised for making this test upon a soli-
tary Individual. The clock is set in mo-
ton by the signal and stopped by an cleo
trio key in the hand of the subject. These
instruments have recently been applied to
many men, first while the latter have been
perfectly sober. later while they have been
under the influence of our old acquaintance
20. b. Joyful
That speed Of thought is slowed by even
minute doses. Of alcohol is shown by the
tabulated results of all repetitions of this
experiment thus far recorded. One inter
esting fact developed in the tests is that
| the average subject believes his brain has
been working more quickly under the in
tluence Of alcohol, whereas the stop clock
emphatically declares that the speed of
brain action has been retarded
Lessons Perception.
To test the influence Of alcohol upon the
brains power of perception, laboratory
subjects are required to read through a
small slit in a screen a continuous series
of meaningless syllables and indiscrimin-
ately selecting short words upon a revolv-
ing drum behind the slit So far, the eX-
Ilperiment indicates that even one ounce
| of alcohol will greatly reduce the percep-
tive powers.
Pupils studied with under the influence
of alcohol recently revealed some further
interesting Information concerning the eff
feet Of strong drink upon mind action.
These tests-rather bold, to be sure-were
made by Professor Krapelin of the Uni
versity of Heidelberg. Two and half
glasses of port wine were considered as
d uculu1u OOSS Tie SIAUCnbS UcAAS SAcA.
1t was found that alcohol increases the
speed of reading and accelerates learning
by heart, but paralyzes the minds power
of associating ideas with words, of max
ing mathematical calculations, and of APP
preciating time.
The largest drink Of alcohol which can
be taken without appreciable effect upon
the average man is discovered, through
these tests. to be 1-2 grams. the amount
contained in a half a wine glass of port
or one-fifth of a pint of ale.
The effect of alcohol upon muscular
strength is being tested in various labora-
tories by aid of an ingenious apparatus de-
signed to tire muscle and write upon pa
per the speed with which fatigue conQuers
its endurance. The subject takes his seat
| at one end of table and extends his arm
| through series of channels padded vises
Or clamps, tightly screwed together. To
his middle finger Is attached thimble OF
leather, from which extends cord at
tached to a little car rolling upon brass
track. The opposite end OF the car holds
another cord passing over q pulley at the
far end of the track and suspendihg a
weight over the end of the table farthest
! from the subject. Attached to the car Is a
long pointer which moves back and forth.
at the same time scraping white lines upon
a revolving cylinder, coated with smoked
paper. The length and rapidity OF the
cars movements, when 1t is pulled by the
finger, are recorded in a worm-fence
scrawl upon the smoked paper. When tile
angles of these jagged markings be come
| wider the speed of the finger movement
is shown to be lessened. When the midi
vidual lines are seen to grow shorter the
power of the finger to draw w the weight
| is known to be diminishing.
Alcoholics Tire Sooner.
First while sober and later while under
the influence Of alcohol subjects are sub
jected to this test. 1t Is being discovered
that after man has drank from one
sixth to two-thirds of an ounce there Is
favorable effect for about fifteen minutes.
After this paralyzing effect sets in u,:d
the ability of the finger to lift the weight
declines much mole "apidly than when in
fiuenced by mere fatigue. Repetitions IF
the experiment while the subject Is not
thus stimulated shows that the total work
obtained under the influence of the stimu-
liant Is less than that accomplished with
out 1t.
Breathing tests are proving that alco-
y. nf nj fto ~ "a