The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-02-20
MAN is BUT HUMAN BAROMETER
Landscape and Meteorological Changes
Mould His Charaeter-Many
Very Sensitive.

Mould His charaeter-Many
Very Sensitive.
BERLIN, Feb. 20.-Prof. w. H. He'll
pach of Karlsruhe has published the
results of the first. all-round inquiry
ever made into the problem: How
far are the brain and temperament OF
man dependent upon natural sur
roundings?'
/, His report is entitled: THE Geopsy-
chic Phenomena and has made a
great stir in scientific circles, owing
to the bold theses Of the professor.
who depicts humanity as a mere vital
lied barometer, which reacts lnces
sanity to the stimulus of external
forces, but has little Independent CON
troy over it's own movements. Land
scape," says Hellpach, has infinitely
greater Importance than climate in
forming national character. The idea
that climate is more important is a
delusion In the United States the
fantastic mountain world of the great
west will in time create different
and much more imaginative race
than that which exists in the level
east and south. At present, Americas
population is too much in state of
| flux to allow of this difference being
determined, but the change is going
on" America will thus In the future
have populations of entirely different
psychical inclinations and characteris-
tics.
Prof Hellpach gives whole series
| of facts to show man in his capacity
as barometer. His activities depend
upon weather fluctuations. There live
peculiarly sensitive .wettermenschen'
/ (weather lnen), whose nervous system
is affected by thunderstorm. On
I these tea, coffee and tobacco taken
! during thunderstorm act with ex
traordinary force, and the most mod
crate dose of alcohol which in cleal
weather. would have no effect, pro
l.duces violent agitation, and even tenn
porary paralysis.
"snow Man. Is Well Known.
second type Of weather man is
the snow man, we'll known to nerve
specialists. Shortly before snowfall
their eating, feeding and sleeping
are entirely deranged; and they are
thus able to predict snowfall more
surely than can meteorological witt
all his instruments.
Snow men, are rarer than "thun
derstorm men" Both quickly recoyel
from the weather effects, and ever
feel better than they did before.
In addition to weather, man react
to an enormous number of externa
stimuli. some of which are far off, In
? tangible and even concealed from tn
senses. Light has precisely the sam
! attractive effect on men as it has o.
insects. The word "moonstruck" /
: not figure of speech, but a reality
Moonlight has a marked effect upo
sleepers, and is the main cause @
. somnambulism. The changes OF tn
: moon produce precise organic effect
. upon certain lower animals, and ma
: is also liable to be moonstruck.
Water, though at distance and il
visible, affects the nervous syster
y and makes some men conscious of it
:. effects Hence the "divining rod"
: reality. The underground water rea
. ly does cause nervous twitchings {
= the water-seeker's hand, and this sci
= the rod osciliating
2 In the same way OWNERS of hidde
:, coal, ore and other mineral treasure
= are quite honest 1t is establishe
that there exist sensitive men, who's
physical condition is affected By I'll
=, composition of the soil underneat
:. though Of this composition they ha,
- no knowledge. And even astroloe
= has basis of truth.
- Changes in Earth Are Felt.
:. The changes of the earth in It's rel
= ton to the consultations inyol,
changes of grayitation, (which eau
: nervous disturbances and thus ope
-. ate on the brain" In a scientific sen
:. no man is therefore independent
!. the stars and planets.
~ DIR. Hellpach deals in novel W;
- with climatic influences on man.
shows that heat and cold are not b;
SO important as moisture and dl
ness. These cause real physic
af- chances, because in dry districts t
M blood is poorer in water; hence, the
lg, is increased activity, d tendency
nj sleeplessness and to an increased C
er culation OF the blood. A maritime {
OIL mate affects men from inland mo
ne than continental climate effects
he inlander. High attitudes tend
ng make plain jewellers fearful, where
of low attitudes merely make mounta
GERS hpmesick. Women acclimat
he better than men and dark races b
lat ter than blond. For the very bio
oil races there is no real acclimatizati
ev. II is impossible for them to live