Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-25

clans considered a sort OF freak Of nature
without any material use in the human
economy. But how different this little de-
vice is considered today! II we had no
Adams apple we would have far more
deaths from spoplexy and brain disorder
than ever chronicled in history. Instead
OF being a useless organ this article serves
as an important storage system to protect
the brain. For instance, when we get
excited. or too animated, the heart pumps
the blood up to the brain a little too fast,
and II e could not be stopped by some
automatic device death or brain disease
would follow. The Adams apple Is the
blood-storaEe cistern which intercepts
the rapid flow and holds the surplus blood.
Again. II the supply from the heart runs
short and the brain is liz " to suffer from
an insufficient supply. the storage cistern
gives up the surplus blood. this
organ acts automatically to check and In
crease the flow Of the blood to the brain,
protecting that organ from damage through
our temporary excuses.
Famous Automatic valve.
A modern engine is dependent to a large
extent upon automatically working valves
for its efficiency. but the perfected valve
was invented by nature and applied to
the human body long before mankind
began to dream of steam or gas engines.
We dignity this valve by the name Of
epiglottis and most OF US know something
about Il. 1t is located back of the mouth,
just where the air passage and food pas
sage cross. II IL the function Of the
epiglottis TO close the windpipe automa-
ticslly every time we swallow food. II
1t did not every particle OF food would
choke us. Now this valve works with more
automatic precision thar any ever placed
on an engine. We give no conscious ef-
fort to its operation, and. indeed, IL we
did It would not make much difference.
We could not close or open it consciously
il we tried, but so well is the human me-
cbsnism adjusted that the valve performs
its work without any notice from the
brain.
Nature also discovered and invented the
modern spirit level. This important inven-
ton is as essential to modern engineering
and mechanics as the plumb line. We use
natures spirit level to retain our balance.
This device consists of semicircular canals
or channels followed out in connection with
the ear and the bones of the head and
filled with a fluid lymph. This fluid flows
back and forth in these Channels and by so
doing informs the brain of the position of
the body. II we move the head on ore
side the fluid flows that way and notifies
us that We are far beyond the perpendicu-
lar. II It were not for this remarkable
spirit level we would never know until we
mad fallen that the body was tilted to n
dangerous angle or that we were losing our
balance. Like the other inventions. this
one works with automatic precision and
without conscious effort on our part.
Inc spinal column, or back bone, is the
most ingenious. engineering structure ever
buht. 1t contains within its center the
spinal canal, injury to which would pro-
duce In us Immediately paralysis or death
The separate bones Of the spinal column
are fitted and adjusted so nicely that there
is no danger Of this, and besides being
provided with cushions it is elastic and
strong. An engineer could not do better
than to study this remarkable invention
for pointers in bridge and house building.
II is the acme Of scientific construction.
Human Chemistry.
We get a most remarkable chemical fac
tory along with our mechanical inventions
and devices, and every man and woman.
no matter how poor, can boast OF a chem
ical department superior to anything in
vented by man. For instance, the liver is
a veritable chemical laboratory of itself.
All the food except the fat must pass
through the liver, and there hemica
agents are stationed all along the route
to inspect and examine everything we put
into our stomachs. All dangerous SUBJ
stances are removed, except when we eat
poisons in such quantities that these agents
are overwhelmed
Also in the stomach there are chemical
agents standing ready to protect us from
danger. There are little machines which
manufacture small quantities of hydro
chloric acid from the salt which we eat.
This acid destroys the injurious microbes
which we swallow by the thousands with
our food. The acid is a VIrulent poison
and II the machines worked overtime they
would make enough to destroy us. But
SO automatically and accurately do nature's
inventions work there is never an excess
of this poison. Psychologists have deter
mined the machines manufacture hydro
chloric acid to the extent of one-fifth of 1
per cent of the contents OF the stomach,
and this is just the amount required to
kill these microbes under ordinary condi-
lions.
Nature is also a mechanic and carpenter
of the most skilled efficiency. Let a man
break a bone and nature Immediately be-
gins to splice it. The surgeon can only
put the bone back in place and then de-
pend upon the. master mechanic to finish
the job. The ends OF the bone are sur
rounded by a ferrule OF cartilage. and then
a layer OF bone Is placed between the car
tilage and broken part and the two sol
dered together. When completed the scat
folding OF cartilage is removed.-A s. At
kinson in Harper's Weekly.
MERnnAI THIEVES APE RIlSY