The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-06-12
MEMS FIVE SENSES.
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT THEM NOT
GENERALLY KNOWN.

For some unknown reason different
parts OF the tongue arc assigned for
tho perception Of different tastes.
With the tip We taste sweet substances
and salts. with the back we taste bitter
things and with the sides We taste
acids. The middle part Of the tongues
surface Inns scarcely any sense of taste
at all
Fhc long named substance parabrom-
benzoic sulphinIdc produces n most re-
markablc effect, for 1t gives n sense Of
sweetness to the point Of the tongue
and OF bitterness to the back. Pure
mngncsIa.
We can only taste things in solu-
ton; hence IL the tongue were perfect
~ dry 1t would not be affected by the
strongest Favored substance In a dry
state.
The taste nerves nre paralyzed by
very hot or very cold liquids. After
drinking very hot or ice cold water
we could not taste even such sub
stance as Quinlne. This fact supplies
n useful hint for consumers Of Ill fa-
vored medicines.
Smell, though the least useful, Is the
most delicate Of all our senses. We
can smell the thrcc-hundred-m millionth
part Of n grain Of musk. No chemical
analysis can detect such minute guam
titles. The most powerful microscope
would not render n particle ten thou
sand times rs large visible. We could
not taste 1t were It many thousand
times rs large.
While We taste liquids, we can smell
only gases. Fill your nostrils with eau
dc cologne, and you will experience no
odor whatever. Fine as our sense Of
smell Is, 1t has dctcrioratcd immensely
since the time when our forcfatherS
were wild men. The Calmucks can
smell an cncampmcnt twenty miles
away; the Pcruvians can distinguish
all tho South American races by their
odor.
But smell IS n sense highly suscep-
tible Of cultivation even by the modern
white man. Dealers in tea, spices. per
fumes and drugs. In consequence Of
, their training. can distinguish the
! faintcst differences In Oiors.
The organ Of hearing Is one Of the
most marvellous pieces Of mechanism
In tho body. In animals the external
| ear acts as trumpet to collect the
sound waves; I'm man II Is little more
than an ornament, but the internal ear
Is alike I'm both. So wonderful Is Its
construction that we can distinguish
brations per second. This feat Is per
formed by a portion of the ear called
the organ Of Cortl. What n wonderful
organ that is may be understood from
tic fact that It consists Of 5000 pieces
of apparatus, each piece being made
up Of two rods, one inner hair cell and
four outer hair cells-that Is, $4,000
separate parts. In some mysterious
manner tho rods, with other things, are
tuned to different notes. and when they
vibratc they cause the hairs to trans
NIT al impulse to the nerve Of hearing.
To be musical. therefore, Is to have a
good organ OF COrti.
Why is 1t that scratching piece Of
glass with metal causes such IN un-
pleasant sound? Because 1t Is what is
called the fundamental tone Of the ear,
which Is very high. What the funda-
mental tone exactly Is would take too
much space to explain. but II you blow
across the mouth Of bottle, hollow
globe, etc., you get its fundamental
tone.
The ear Is n deceptive organ, and 1t
is often matter Of guesswork to tell
whence n sound comes. Indeed, II you
place the open hands In front Of your
cars and curve them backward sounds
produced In front will appear to come
from behind.
Human beings and monkeys see most
things with both eyes. Our whole field
Of vision extends over 1SO degrees or
half circle. The middle half Of this
we see with both eyes together, but
the quarter at each side is seen only
with one eye.
All other animals see most things
with one eye only. Scarcely ever can
they fix both eyes OIL anything at the
same time. But there are considerable
varia tions. A bulldog, for instance,
somewhat closely approaches the con-
dition Of monkey. The larger the pu.
pil the greater the quantity Of light
which enters the eye. Large pupiled
people, therefore, see the world in a
brighter and more cheerful state than
those with small pupils. They can see
things better in the dusk or ut night.
AS every one knows from the optical
illusion pictures, the eyes are easily
deceived. A white square on q black
ground appears larger than black
square Of the Same size on white
ground. Red near green looks redder;
blue near yellow looks bluer; white
near black looks whittier.
Touch really includes several senses.
Thus there are spots on the skin which
feel heat only, spots which feel only