Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-04-12
PLANETARY VITALITY.
Earthquakes Can Take Place Only ON
Living Globes.

Earthquakes Can Take Place Only ON
Living Globes.
\ moonQuake is now unthinkable,
nail Our satellite is ever foreshad-
owing our own ultimate doom, like the
mummy at Egyptian banquets," but in
the meantime, if the Edinburgh Review
has correctly conceived the teachings
Of seismology, the inhabitants of earth
may console themselves for the havoc
wrought through earthquakes by re
1ecting that they demonstrate the VI
tality Of our planet. In that distant
past when the moon actually quaked
there may - some scientists declare
there must-haye been forms Of anima-
ton upon its surface. Though the
moon. by reason of its smaller size,
was bound to lose its atmosphere, 1t
must have taken millions of years to
do so, and there may have been time
for the cycle of life. from the primeyal
germ up to sentient beings and down
again to the hardest lingering plant
cells, to run its full circle" The writer
In the Edinburgh Review continues to
develop his line of thought:
Earthquakes are sign Of planetary
vitality They would seem to be char
acteristic OF the terrestrial phase Of de-
velopment. Effete globes like the moon
can scarcely be subject to the stress to
which they are due, nor can they be
very suitably constituted for the prop
agation ~of elastic waves. Inchoate
worlds. such as Jupiter and Saturn,
are still less likely to be the scenes OF
reverberating conclusions. Their ma
terials have not yet acquired the neces-
sary cohesion. They are pasty or fluid,
if not partially vaporous. On the earth
the seismic epoch presumably opened
when, exterior solidifcation having
commenced, the geological ages began
to run. 1t will last so long as peaks
crumble and rivers carry sediment, SO
long as the areal distribution Of loads
fuctuates and strains evoke forces ade-
quate for their catastrophe relief.
"Our globe is by its elasticity kept
habitable. The separation of sea from
dry land is thus and not otherwise
maintained. The alterations Of eleva-
ton and substance manifest the con-
tinual activity of this reserve Of en-
ergy. The dimensions of the globe we
inhabit depend upon the balance OF
pressure and expansiveness. Relaxa-
ton or enhancement of either instant
" occasions a bending inward or an
arching outward Of the crust. Just by
these sensitive reactions the planet it,
self shows itself to be alive, and seis-
mic thrillings are the breath5 1t
Current Literature.
savnges and snun. ~
The habit of snuff taking has been
confirmed among savage tribes for
ages past. In South Africa ii is used
among Swazis, Basutos and Matapeles
Every Zulu today, even In towns, car
ries a little square box suspended
around his neck by piece Of string or
gut, and the snuff spoon Qor they do
not indulge in the homely "pinch'),
carved out of sleeps bone, often or
namented with intricate geometrical
designs and for convenience carried
hanging downward through slit in
the lobe of the ear. The Zulu regards
the lobe of his ear as useful recep-
table for various small articles he
meets with. The umfaan, or house boy,
universally met with in Natal, has a
penchant for safety pins, which have Z
to be carefully hidden from bis sharp
eyes. Even then he is usually to be
seen, after going. through the rooms.
with string of these pins suspended
from each ear until they reach his
shoulders.