Evening star., 1926-05-09

4 lnglN-ln It1ul. uneasy stu
por, hours that might just as
we'll be turned into dollars and cents?
Is it true, as some Italian scientists
have long claimed, that in any s.
hour period of so-called sleeping not
more than hours, on an average.
are of what might be called true,
fatigue-chasing slumber?
To find the answer to these uni
versally pertinent questions, and
others. scientists at the Mellon lnsti-
tute in Pittsburgh have embarked
upon research program which. they
readily admit will take years to
complete. They have mapped out an
investigation that includes inquiry
into every phase of the mysterious
state Of coma in which practically all
the worlds inha bitants lose themselves
at night.
They are now in the midst of per
haps the most vital of all their pro
posed experiments. Through the life
less "eye" of delicate laboratory in
struments they are watching for Il
period of months - young college
students who are being paid q regular
wage to sleep on beds that virtually
are little less than scales. While these
Young men sleeper to be more eX-
act. throughout each eight-hour night
/ Turing which they rest upon the
scales the instruments record
every move they make. even the lit
tie flinginC of forearm in dreams.
or the quivering shudderS of the fright
| that is born of nightmare.
/ The II Subjects" as Dr. H. NJ.
! Johnson. noted psychologist. in charge
of the unique research. calls them.
IRE undergraduates at Carnegie Insti-
/ tute of Technology and the Tniver-
! sity of Pittsburgh. They began sleep
ing for science early in January Of
this year, and are under agreement to
continue until the close of the present
college year in June. They are, para
doxical as it may sound. cheerfully
| helping themselves to an education by
sleeping.
Five nights each week the l. sleep
ers report promptly at 1920 O'Clock
and are examined by doctors and
scientists under direction of DR.. John.
son. On the sixth and seventh nights
they are permitted to remain out a
short time longer. but when they
come in the same routine is followed
Record is taken each night of their
general condition and health their
| hearts and nervous systems are test.
| ed and they are then subjected to
what might be called psychological
| measurements. BY use of the chrono-
scope and other highly sensitive in
ventionS of DR.. Johnson, their menta |
slertness is ascertained and charted
for the day. If they have smoked too
much, Or perhaps indulged in forbid
! den beverages, these things are ind-
Gated in the record. This procedure
lasts about half an hour, and then the
| IL apostles of sleep climb into their
especially constructed scalelike beds.
These beds are arranged side by side
| in a dormitory room, 90 by 40 feet, in
1 the top of college fraternity house.
Each is suspended from the ceiling on
what are called pendular gimbals. or
supports that permit them to sway as
easily as does the beam of well oiled
electric scales. Otherwise the beds are
of standard equipment. with coil
| springs and mattresses of the best ana
most comfortable tufted cotton.
Running from each bed is an elec.
| trical connection that forms passing
contacts with a small machine which
balances a stylus, or pen point. upon
/ the surface of roll OF paper that
moves slowly and uniformly beneath
it-somewhat as did the cylinder on
the first phonograph. AS the sleeper
stirs fitfully or tosSeS violently or sits
up. the bed moves with him, the shift
ing of the frame suiting the quantity
of the action. With each move an
electric current is set up and, like the
moving finger Of the poet, the stylus
writes.
When 6:45 comes and the alarm
clock rouses the sleeping dozen. a
complete record has been inscribed.
The surface of each strip of paper is
marked with parallel lines at inter
walls. each of which represents five
minutes. The time traced by the
stylus has in each case passed across
these marks, varying along horizon
tai line that represents motionless
slumber.
If any particular sleeper has lain
without stirring, the stylus line on
his record comedies, straight and un-
deyiatfng, with the horizontal line.
But if another has slept unevenly. has
awakened frequently, the stylus line
zigzags across the page, back and