Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-21

opllc nerve, can not be distorted IN the trans
mission 10 the brain What Is more the pro-
cess rust be reversible, that is to say, form
brought TO consciousness can. by reflex action.
reproduce the original image on the retina,
Jus, AS an echo can reproduce the original dis.
tirbance II this view is borne out by expert.
ment an immense revolution in all human rea.
lions and departments of activity will be the
consequence.
Natural Forces Influence Us.
Accepting all this as true let us consider some
OF the forces and influences which act on such
a wonderfully complex automatic engine with
organs inconcelvably sensitive and delicate, as
II Is carried by the spinning terrestrial globe in
Its lightning flight through space. For the sake
OF simplicity we may assume that the earth's
axis is perpendicular to the ecliptic and that
the human automaton is at the equator Let
his weight be one hundred and sixty pounds
then, at the rotational velocity of about $50
feet per second with which he is whirled
around. the mechanical energy stored in his
body will be nearly 57So.000 foot pounds
which Is about the energy Of hundred-pound
cannon ball
This momentum is constant we'll as the up
ward centrifugal push amounting to about
hfty.fve hundredth Of pound. and both will
probably be without marked influence on his
life functions. The sum- having mass $4,000
times that OF the earth, but being $4,000 times
farther. will attract the>automaton with force
II about ope-tenth Of pound. alternately
increasing and diminishing his normal weight
by that amount
Though not conscious OF these periodic
changes. he Is surely affected by them.
The earth in Its rotation around the sun
carries him with the prodigious speed of nine
teen miles per second and the mechanical
energy impaired to him is over 25,l6o.O0o,0 600
foot pounds. The largest gun ever made in
Germany hurls proiectile weighing one ton
With muzzle velocity OF $500 feet per second.
the energy being 42s.oOooo0 foot pounds
Hence the momentum OF the automaton's body
is nearly sixty times greater. 1t would be SUI
hcient to develop 762,400 horsepower for one
minute, and II the motion suddenly ar.
rested the body would be instantly exploded
with force sufficient to carry a proiectile
weighing over sixty tons to distance OF
twentyeght miles.
slant but varies with the position OF the autom-
atom in relation to the sun. The circulnfer
ence Of the earth has speed OF I5520 feet pei
second, which is either added to or subtract
ed from the translatory velocity of nineteen
miles through space. Owing to this the energy
will vary from twelve to twelve hours by an
amount approximately equal to 15S3000,0 00
foot pounds, which means that energy streams
in some unknown way into and out of the
body OF the automaton at the rate of about
siXty.four horsepower.
But this is not all. The whole solar system
is urged towards the remote constellation OF
Hercules with speed which some estimate a,
twenty miles per second, and owing to this
there should be similar annual changes In the
Aux of energy, which may reach the appalling
figure OF over one hundred billion foot pounds
All these varying and purely mechanical effects
are rendered more complex through the in.
clnaton Of the orbtal planes and many other
permanent casual mass actions.
The automaton is, however. subjected to
other forces and influences. His body Is at
the electric potential OF two billion volts, which