The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-09
Berlin. Cor. Brooklyn Eaxle.)

NbeElln' o Eagle.)
Prof. w. Hellpach OF Karlsruhe, has
round inquiry ever made into the
problem: How far the brain and
temperament of man depends upon
natural surroundings.
His report is entitled THE Geopsy-
hic Phenomena" and has made a
great stir in scientific circles. owing to
the bold theses Of the professor, who
depicts humanity as a mere vitalized
barometer. which reacts necessarily to
the stimulus of external forces, but
has little independent control over its
own movements.
Landscape. says Hellpach, has in
hnitelH greater importance than cli-
mate in forming national character.
The idea that climate Is more import
ant is a delusion. In the United
States the fantastic mountain world Of
the great west will in time create a
different and much more imaginative
race than that which exists in the
level east and SOUTH. At present
Americas population is too much in
a state OF fiuX to allow of this differ
ence being determined. but the change
IS going on" America will thus in
the future have two populations Of
entirely different psychical inclina-
ANAS oAAo lslICS.
Prof. Hellpach gives a whole series
OF facts to show man in his capacity
as barometer. His activities depend
upon weather fluctuations. There live
peculiarly sensitive 'wettermenchen''
tweathermen), whose whole nervous
system is affected by thunderstorms.
On these tea. coffee. tobacco, taken
during a thunderstorm. act with en-
t~raordinary force and the most mod
crate dose Of alcohol. which in clear
weather would have no effect pro-
duces violent agitation. and even TEN.
oraly paralysis.
second type Of weathermen is the
snow man. we'll known to nerve spe-
c%ialists. Shortly before a snowfall
their eating and sleeping are entire
~ and they are thus able to
predict a snowfall more surely thar
can a ~meterologist. with all his iustru-
mcntS. Snow men" are rarer thai
thunderstorm men," Both quickly
recover from the weather effects, and
even feel better than they did before.
In addition to weather. man reacts
10 an enormous number of external
stimuli. some Of which are far off, in
tangible, and even concealed from the
senses. Light has precisely the same
attractive effect on men as it has on
insects. The word 'moonstruck" is
not a figure of speech, but a reality.
Moonlight has a marked effect upon
siceI"rs. and is the main cause of
somnambulism. The changes of the
moon produce precise organic effects
upon certain lower animals, and man
Is also liable to be moonstruck.
Water, though at a distance and in.
visible, affects the nervous system and
makes solne men conscious Of it's cf-
fects. Hence the ''divining rod" is a
reality. The underground water real
lN does cause V twitchings of
the water seekers hands. and this sets
the rod oscillating. In the same way
OWNERS of hidden coal, ore and other
mineral treasures are quite honest.
1T is established tina there exist SEN
sitive men whose psychical condition
is affected by the composition Of the
soil underneath. though Of this com
position they have no knowledge"
And even astrology has a basis of
truth. The changes of the earth in
Its relation to the consultations in
volve changes of gravitation, (Which
cause nervous disturbances and thus
operate on the brain" In a scientific
sense no man is therefore Independent
of h stars and planets.
DIR. Hellpach deals i'm a noval way
with climate influences on man. He
shows that heat and cold are not half