The Indianapolis journal., 1902-01-19


sweeter. II two equally sour solutions are
prepared in the same manner the warmer
one will taste the more acid. Thus con-
fection is sweeter TO the tongue when
frozen than when melted, while hot lem
onade is more acid than cold lemonade.
Cooks should not, therefore. sweeten food
while it is hot lest what will crafty their
taste then may become too sweet when
cooled.
Criminals and normal persons tested by
the tasteometer, in which was used solu-
tion of one part strychnine to 10000 parts
water, gave result showing that for every
fifty normals who could detect the bitter
flavor there were but fifteen criminals who
could notice it.
There is a theory that in man the organ
of smell is degenerating, while that of taste
is not changing.
So far as your sense of touch is con-
cerned. if it be obtuse the indication is
that you are a degenerate. There is far
greater obtuseness of touch found among
criminals than among normal human be-
ings. Born criminals are found also to
have greater insensibility to pain than peo-
pie of the normal classes. Women crimi-
nails in particular are noted to bear sur
gical operations with a fortitude not char
acteristic of normal women.
The touchometer is an ingenious instru-
ment for measuring acuteness TO touch. 1t
is a wooden stand, from the edge of the cir
cular top of which extend horizontal, slen-
der rods each of which appears to be a
minute fishing line, bearing a cork. The
lines are in reality fine cocoon fibers and
ha of eIJ r1ffb
There are a score of these, all alike, except
that the discs are surmounted by tiny
washers or buttons of metal, which give
them distinct weights, varying from one
milligram to twenty times that weight, and
differing in steps of one milligram.
Commencing with the lightest disc, they
are safely lowered, one at time, and in
proper sequence on the skin. If you be the
subject of experiment you are blindfolded.
Several of the lightest discs are not felt
unless you be unusually sensitive. They
are being applied, one at a time, and you
are instructed to make known as soon as
you become conscious of the slightest touch.
The lightest pith wafer felt measures your
acuteness to touch.
For the average individual the smallest
weight which can be felt is M g. on the
forehead, temples and back Of forearm or
hand; m. G. on inner side of forearm, 3
m. g. on nose, hip, cheek or abdomen; to
15 m. g. on inner surface Of fingers; 1000
m. G. on the heel or nails.
TEMPERATURE SENSE.
Psychologists are commencing to award
us a sixth sense They do this by dividing
touch proper into the pressure of sense
and temperature sense. Pressure sense we
have seen tested in the above experimnt.
1t is also measured by means of an instru-
ment consisting of a rod pressed over the
skin while it records varying units of pres
sure on a dial. 1t is portable edition of
the touchometer described and it's observa-
tions are similar to those of that more
complicated device.
Temperature sense is measured by an in
strument composed Of a conical tube hav-
ing a thermometer in the top. the point of
the cone being placed upon the skin. Water
circulates through the tube Warm water
at a comfortable temperature is first cir
culated through the point. Gradually the
heat of the water is increased. The sub
ject is instructed to make known as soon
as he feels the last difference in tempera-
ture and must state whether it is colder
or warmer. Inc numDer or degrees OIL
the thermometer over which the water is
heated before the change is detected is the
scale for measuring the temperature sense.
1t is discovred that cold or hot bodies feel
heavier than those of equal weight and at
the temperature of the skin. An ice-cold
silver dollar feels heavier than one which
you have carried in your hand a long
while. SO does one which has been heated
on the stove. But cold is more effective
than heat in producing this delusion.
Obtuseness in sight and hearing appear
to be characteristic of degeneration. Only
three in every fifteen born criminals were
found in one investigation to have normal
fields of vision. a very small irregular
field of vision appears to be typical Of
crime.
Hearing is found to be more obtuse in
fallen women than in normal people, more
obtuse in thieves than in fallen women
and more obtuse in murderers than in
thieves. Thus acuteess of the ear de-
creases, it would appear, with each degree
Of degeneration.
The instruments for testing eyesight and
hearing are those commonly used by physi-
clans and are, perhaps, too well known for
description.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS, Jr