The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-03-10
What Your
Hands Show
nv n. ADDINoToN BRUCE
Author OF The Riddle OF Psrson-
auty." Psychology and
Parsnthood." etc.

The reading OF character ami des.
tiny from the human hand. as prac-
ticed by professional palmIsts, il
pretty generally discredited. Mover,
theless the hand does undoubtedly
furnish many helpful indications re
garding its possessor.
SO true II this that certain oh
servant physicians are nowadays
making II a point to scrutiniIe treir
patients hands as an aid In dag
nosis. In particular they md Il
possible 20 derive helpful informa-
tion from the color end condition OF
The palms and nails.
Which. after all. IS not surprising.
II stands TO reason that abn0fnal
states OF internal organs and pro
oesses should tend 20 reveal them
selves by wasting. fatteDing. diucol-
oring, etc. OF the hands.
Other observers. morc interested
In problems OF character than in
problems OF health. similarly profit
nom hand study. hut what they
chiefly note Is not 80 much the hand
itself a. the way Il is used They
are trnl believers In the theory
which picturesquely afirms
The hand Is gesture. gesture Is
visible SPEECH, speech Is the soul.
the soul II man. tho soul OF man IA
IN the hand"
These observers recognize. OF
course. that there are definite psy-
Geological types OF hand. But also
they recognize thar hands by NO
means always run true TO psycho.
logical type.
Thus. slender, delicate hands, with
tsPering angers and convex nails
are supposed TO have as psychologi.
cal Accomplishments a sensitive na.
ture. nne character. and 2 hign de-
gree Of intelligence. Short. stocky.
coarse hands. with fat nails ere
regarded as indicative OF coarse
nature. an unpleasant character, ane
low degree OF intelligence.
Such. in fact. is he rule Bus IL
u a rule which has so many excep.
tons as TO be scarcely depend. DIE.
Therefore the prudent rely moro on
observing the way the hand il used
than in studying its formation.
With pose and gesture rs the
guide here are a few well establish.
I'd points.
When the hands are habituauy al
lowed TO fall limp and llfeless by
the side. lack Of a real life-purposs
is indicated. with perhaps a mulisb
ttubbornnesS in place Of rue
strength Ut character.
| IL. during conversation, the
hands are customarily held lightly
olssped. II is safe 10 infer that the
person thus clGspinG them IS a GER
ION OF great selfcommand.
Aimless shifting OF the hands, as
The In dO,I0t what 10 do with them.
n habitual Is indicative OF a person
POORLY controlled emotionally II
occasional IL merely indicates nerv.
Gus excitement.
Hands with fingers held widely
extended are the hands ~ a person
not lightly 10 be trusted with i'm
portant secrets. they are the
hands Jf the tAlkative.
Also beware OF the man whose
customary pose ~ 20 stand with one
hand partly hidden IN coat-front the
other behind his back The lnrh
hood is that ne Is a man with some.
thing unpleasant 20 hide.
But you nay trust hirl Who stands
or walks with hands straight az hts
ride. the fingers TUNED slightly in.
ward. He Is almost sure 20 be hon.
est and STRAIGHTFORWARD.
His opposite. the hypocrite. you
can discern In the man who unctu.
ousIy rubs his hands lightly togets.
or while NJ talks 10 Won. This mo
lion OF thu hands YOU instinctivaly
resent. and you are justified.
Hands kept swinging freely white
walking are usually the hands OF a
hold, energetic man. In this case
the whole pose Is plainly indicative
o. energy.
These, l repeat. are only n few
Joints as 10 hand revelations. But
remember them. You will hnd them
useful