The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-02
BITING THE NAILS
ANCESTRAL LEGACY
Trick of Many Children Has
Has Attracted Attention
of Scientists.

Why children bite their nails is one
OF the smaller problems or nature that
from time to time attracts the atten-
ton OF scientists.
Why do babies sprawl and scramble,
WTithe and squirm iu their jerky, weird
way2 Why have they 50 many strange
ways that other young animals have
not2 Because an infant is a mental
2ud physical paiimpset
The ancient Greeks wrote upon sheep
skins Such veIlum was SO precious
that 10 was washed white with butter
milk and used iii; and time again, Just
as We use the slHto-but it did not lose
it's writing, Modern chemistry and
photography reproduces and shows the
stun that was written on these old
ska scrolls. A lost fragment from
Hesiod OF Homer. a hot pagan sigh
frem MeuaHGer OF PetrOnius. 4. T.. or
a cool soul breath from Plato again
comes to light and day
Such q tclltale parchment Is called a
paUmpsest, and man and his mind. aye,
the great round 5talwart electric ghost,
Jhis globe itself and all its layers OF
strata. is such d palimpsest TO the
searching eve Of science.
Bears Have Habit
Bears suck the paw during their win
ter sleep and we had some alternating
ancestors. and those not so remote az
the cave-dweLlers at that. Some 'iarsh
scientists think fatuess I'm man vas or
iEinaIy not so much for protection from
cold, like iu the whale. but as i7 the
bear. Fat was stored against seasons
and ousIauguts Of famine.
Eekimos toward the ending OF their al
most sempIteual night grow nervous,
fighty, hystericaL gnawing their nails
and fingers sore. So this tridiug merry
GUS habit might seen to- point Jut the
hldoOus higLaay down which man has
$50 iearfully erCpt into his day dawn
The uaii-bitiUg habit may belong 90 a
great group OF immensely interesting
HaIf-ac.iUE automatic educational ao-
tious and habits OF tie brain and body
io which tine strange eprawinE, JERKING
movements OF the habr belongs. The
newborn baby, like our eyoluti0uaI
cousins tHe Upussum ana kangaroo, SIS
only half born and finishes It's infancy
iu Inc warm lap and arms and bosom of
mOtler-ED substituting the ridiculous
marsupiai pouch. Baby cannot begin
living it's life at once as most animals
90. but must mature "a year lougrr-ln
the meantime great sleeping nervous
muscular actI JUS must bee keep. iu train
Ing and e>er, see through these seeming
silly spTawI-.
Closely Related
The speech and hand ceutcrs boo the
brain are most 5scIy related and are
among the latest. highest. and most diff
ncuIt faculties tcqui~ed by man over
ms subhumau ancestors. So this hand
and mouth habit may bee but d form OF
speech gesture gone nervOusly awrv.
The speech center I'm the brain ard its"
faculty is SO slow and difficult that the
seemingly Iuaue, NaeGous pafT0lIugs
the chewing Of the rag of ol4ttcrfUg
people is doubtless am uuinteutioUaI
exercise in siug-sOug talk 70 keep
speech alive and active to their pos
terlty. Hand and mouth movements and
gestures are SO close in some peoples
that it is O. safe bet that they actually
cannot talk il their hands are held
StammeTing and nail biting are common
embarrassing associates.
The nails first begin 90 grow fast when
the second teeth are cutting The uu-|
conscious irritation In the root Of the
nails and gums from rapid growth NAV
be at the bottom of the mischief Most
nail biters show signs of nervousness
or disturbed health and nutrition re-
oulTiUg treatment From the great god
HOTus down. the annals of glory CON
tain the names of many great nail
guaWers-