Evening star., 1923-08-19

~ NE of the more important
phases of research work be-
ing undertaken by the Ma
tional Research Council as
part of It's program of public useful
ness is the extensive inquiry it has
launched into the causes for faulty
sense of equilibrium on the part OF
some airplane pilots whose machines
have come to grief.
Statistics published by the War De-
partment show Sc per cent of the
or circumstances directly connected
with the human element-the pilot.
These circumstances were found asso-
ciated with an uncorrected maneuver
or loss of control.
According to experts of the Ma
tional Research Council. one of the
main problems of flying is the prob
lem of balancing in the air The
factors which enter into balancing
are complex and but partially known.
Three known factors are recognized
the eye, the ear. the joint. muscle and
pressure sensations.
Cause OF "FauIts."
Excessive stimuli from at least two
of these factors, the eye and ear. will
result in vertigo. Any or all of these
factors. il is pointed out, may give
| faulty "information," which would
tend to produce faulty control of the
airplane and possible disaster. The
causes of this faulty control are
known only in part. Faulty reactions
| while flying may also come from tenn
porary pathological causes-for In
stance, blockage of the tube of the
ear.
Realizing that if these causeA could
| be recognized they could be guarded
! against, thus greatly lessening the
| hazards of flying. the National Re-
search Council some time ago ap-
| pointed a committee on vestibular
research" This committee is really
Joint group of three divisions of
| the council--the division of anthro-
poIogy and psychology. the division OF
medical sciences and the division of
biology and agriculture. This COM
mittee is unusual in character by rea-
son of the fact that each member
of the committee is personally ac-
lively engaged in cooperative re-
search on the problem before the
committee. The special efforts of the
committee are directed toward a so
luton of the problem of animal
equilibrium. and particularly of equi-
librium of ayiatorS.
NestibuIe of Ear.
The reputed relation of the Vesti-
bule of the ear. including the semi
circular canals, TO equilibrium directs
the work of the committee largely
toward an investigation of this YES
tibule, from which the committee
takes it's name.
The purpose of the committee is
not only to study the factors which
enter into balancing. but to study the
factors which disturb this balance.
and, if possible, to ascertain how to
rectify such errors. Since certain in
diyiduals have their balance upset
more easily than others. the commit
tee is studying which particular
factor or factors are at fault.
Equilibrium in animals-that is. the
sense of being able to balance-has long
been a peculiar property. Scientists
have studied with intense interest the
uncanny ability of the cat, for instance.
| to land upon its feet when suddenly
precipitated from high perch. II IS
| true that cats have been known to and
\ in other than an upright position, but
\ reports of such occurrences by those
| who have studied felines are rare. Birds
| in soaring seem involuntarily to sense
oncoming treacherous air currents and
| just as involuntarily to right them
| selves Is the currents ingulf them. Is
! it highly developed sight, hearing or
| feeling or a combination of these fac
| tors that leads to the quick response of
! the body in such cases. Or is il some
mysterious supersense with which
these animals are endowed by nature?
! Scientists believe that the eye, the