Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-17

Electricity gives Us light practi-
cally without heat-an ideal method
of illumination. But the lantern fly
of tropical America was in the field
long before we invented and con-
structed the electric lamp. Nature
built the electric battery long before
man thought of 1t in the head OF the
electric eel and the torpedo fish.
These creatures are capable of CIV
ing an electric shock of considerable
force. In the head of the torpedo
fish there are vertical columns Of
electrical plates which number as
many as half a million. The plates
or disks are separated by delicate
membranes, which insulate them, and
they resemble very much the ordi-
nary voltaic pile so commonly used
in electrical work.
Even our sewing and spinning ma
chimes had their prototypes in Nature.
The tailor bird was the first seam
stress. and 1t stitched its leaves to-
gether perfectly long before man used
the fish bone as a needle to sew his
skin garments together. 1t Is possi-
BILE that the ancients got their first
lesson in this art from the tailor bird.
Then, as to spinning, the caterpillars
and silkworms were ahead of our ma
chimes, and the spider even today can
give us lessons in this art No skill
of man has yet equalled the fine spin
ming of the spider. We cannot begin
to make threads as fine and small as
the spiders, nor can we weave them
into such a fine, tough rope. These
insects are supplied with machinery
for spinning that Is still little UNDER
stood. Under the ultramicroscope we
may yet discover some new principle
of the art that will greatly help US to
improve our spinning methods.
Man today is going more and more
to Nature to learn secrets that are of
interest to the mechanical and indus
trial world. 1t has long been a mis-
take to suppose these little creatures
are of value only to the specialist in
terested in cataloguing and mounting
specimens. We know, for instance,
that the earwigs carry about with
them a dainty pair Of forceps. and that
efficient pliers, pincers and scissors
are part of the equipment of other in
sects.
The first balloon was the balloon or
"swellfsh," and we know that the
first airship was a bird or flying in
sect. Indeed, our whole advance in
aviation has been based upon a close
study of birds and insects. At first we
studied only the birds, but now we are
making a more exhaustive study of
the insects. The common beetle Is con-
structed on the plan Of biplane and
the birds on that Of the monoplane.
There is a big distinction between
them, and this fact has opened up
new field for study and experiment.
The lungs were the first pair Of bel
lows, and their construction might
and blacksmith's bellows. The jaw is
perfect illustration of the lever prfn-
ciple Of mechanics. For its size, the
jaw of any of our wild animals Is the
most marvellous application Of this
mechanical principle. The bones Of
the human body are fashioned with
the idea of getting the greatest
amount Of strength and stiffness with
minimum Of material. Engineers
long ago recognized the value Of q
hollow tube in securing risidity with
lightness, but this principle was we'll
known to Nature, and she availed her
col Of In hui hn Of ~
legs and arms.
The first great chemical factory Of
the world was the liver and stomach
of man and animals. We are just be-
ginning to learn the secrets of chemi-
cal action and reaction which Nature
has been using for ages in the human
stomach. Enough poisons are gener-
ated there every day to kill dozen
men, but Nature has supplied the an
tidotes, so that wea rarely suffer, ex-
cept from excessive eating and drink
ing. There Is in the system network
of semicircular canals which for ages
baffled all scientific investigators as
to their meaning and use. Now we
know that they constitute the first and
greatest spirit level ever made. With
able to balance ourselves. When the
body is bent or tipped over a little
this spirit-level Immediately informs
the brain, and the proper set of mus
cles are called into play to prevent
our falling. We may think 1t Is our
organs of vision that tell US when
the body is in danger of topping over,
but it Is in reality this spirit-level
which works just as well and ,atis-
factorily when the eyes are closed.
We say we know instinctively when
we are losing our balance, but this in
stinct Is simply another name for a
proper working Of our spirit-level.
In remarkable way Nature has
the most effective way of achieving
re suits. Consider the trees of the for
est. What an enormous wind pres
sure there Is brought to bear upon q
large, leafy tree. A flagpole with half
that amount Of pressure would snap
off. Then why do not the trees break
oftener in windstorms? Because the
bark binds the tissues Of the wood to-
gether 80 that they cannot slip and
slide beyond a certain point-a device
which Is frequently resorted to in me-
chanics to secure great resisting
strength. With wedges we split rocks
and stones, but Nature can split the
hardest and strongest material with a
growing vine that steadily but per-
sistently pushes it's way up through
minute crevice. That Is the first
and greatest wedge ever invented. A
growing acorn can split asunder the
stoutest pavement or raise ton rock
from it's bed in the soil.
There is nothing so promising to
the inventor as a careful study Of the
whole broad field of Nature.-The
World Today.