Evening star., 1915-01-31
Baseless Fears of
Certain Diseases,

to DR.. Charles E.
ooi 'oih olseosoo' Banks, senior
surgeon of the United States public
health service In his public health
stduies DR.. Banks, who is in charge at
Milwaukee, has found that, general
ly speaking, Americans treat with
contempt diseases with which they have
become familiar, Notwithstanding the
fact that the same diseases are known
to be deadly to a high degree. For In
stance, he says, a single case OF small
poN will cause more commotlon IN
community than a thousand cases OIL
bubonic plague is given more attention
than the thousands of persons who die
from typhoid each year
'If one mild leper.' says DR.. Banks.
should appear on the public streets
the populace would climb telegraph
poles, mount roofs and sink into con-
venient coal chutes to escape con-
tact or even the sight OF a case OF
leprosy. If you wish to secure a seat
in a crowded car. announce yourself a
leper and you will do no further strap
hanging. The passengers have no OBJ
lection to a victim of tuberculosis. but
they quickly ostracize some relative
of Il smallpox victim who has not been
tine him or them because they are
afraid they might get it. OF course,
plague has killed d few dozen people in
the United States and is deadly. Tu-
berculosis and typhoid are also deadly
and kill many thousands each year.
Being free people, we take our chances
with thousands of these victims and
pay little attention to the disease when
cases are known to exist in com
munity.
of their own is another curious phase
of human nature. 1t is the testimony
of those who followed our troops to
the insular possessions that the at
tempts of the officers engaged in sani-
tary work to enforce any individual
measures against epidemics of cholera
and yellow fever were Indignantly re-
sented by the people. 1t was their
familiar disease and they were used TO
it. The nations of the world VIII un.
more in the future for an example in
methods of dealing with the problem of
preventive medicine, and for this reason
we must take into account our mac
tivity in permitting SO many prevent
able diseases to thrive.
X 4
Experts in both the United States
geological survey and the federal bureau
of mines are interested
Selenium in reports which have
been received of demon
DlscoVefles. strations at Purdue Uni
versity of the power of selenlum, an eie-
ment which is produced as a by-product
in the process of electrolytic copper re-
fining. This demonstration was conduct
ed by B. F. Meissner, student at the
Indiana University, who has been work
ing at the experiment station OF John
Hays Hammond. jr., at Gloucester. Mass.
According to reports which have been re-
cejyed. Mr.. Meissner demonstrated be-
fore the students many possible uses to
which selenium may be put
Selenium is peculiar III that ordinarily
it is said to be impervious to electric cur,
rent, but when light rays are turned
upon it it loses its resistance and per-
mits the electric current to pass through
In demonstration before the Students
MIR Meissner showed how the placing OF
cells of selenium behind lenses in me-
chanical dog made it possible to move
the dog around the room at Will oy
the use of a pocket searchlight. When
the light rays penetrated the selenium
behind them. they set in motion an cleo
tric motor inside the dog, and the OBJ
ject continued moving as long as the
light rays were allowed to touch the
lenses. AS soon as the light was with
drawn the motor stopped and the dog
Another effective feature Of his demon
stration was selenium burglar alarm,
which was exhibited before the students
and faculty with complete apparatus.
Mr. Meissner showed how a burglar. on
entering the house and striking light
or using the fiashlight, could put an cleo
trio motor into action. which would
operate a camera, take the burglars pic
ture, fire off gun and ring bell, all at
the same time. This complete action
would be caused simply by the action of
light 1t is claimed by Mr.. Meissner that
a similar o selenium can be made
in controlling the action of torpedoes in
the water. Experiments along this line
fave been made by John Hays Hammond.
jr.. and others. Whether all the things
which are claimed can be done through
the use of the mineral are practical. gov
ernment engineers refuse to admit, but it
is probable that early investigation of
the claims will be made.
According to the reports of the United
States geological survey, the amount of
selenium produced in this country by the
smelling and refining companies and the
copper works is approximately 10000
pounds a year. valued at nearly $4,000.
In large lots the mineral sells for $3.50
to $1.75 a pound. Besides being produced
as byproduct in copper refining,
selenium is found in uranium and van
adium ores, now mined in southwestern
Colorado and southeastern Utah, and it is
said by experts of the geological survey
that practically all of the vanadium- bear
ing ores except nure carnotjte carry the