Evening star., 1937-07-23
4 4 AYBE gigantic air particles in
nV the atmosphere Of Washing
ton were causing so many
folks to dream of the dead

4 folks to dream OF the dead
last night and to drop asleep over
their desks yesterday afternoon.
So many reported these experiences
when they came to work this morning
that it may have been more than a
coincidence-especially since records
show that there was notable differ
ence in the composition of the air
locally during greater part Of the day.
It's rather queer, perhaps. that a
fellow should have such a terrifying
dream as that of witch pelting him
with dead ravens-as one man re-
ported-because the air he was
, breathing was upset one part in q
million or so due to a disbalance in
the emanations of radium from the
soil and killer molecules in the air,
but it might be so.
Laboratory Records.
A curious phenomenon was encoun-
tered in the records Of the Terrestrial
Magnetism Laboratory of the Carnegie
Institution OF Washington yesterday.
Starting about m. and continuing
to about 4 pm. there was approxl-
mately a so per cent reduction in the
number Of small ions in the atmos-
phere of Washington.
The theory has been advanced-but
scientists Of the terrestrial magnetism
laboratory say they have no convinc-
ing proof Of it-that the number of
these small ions determines the ex-
hilarating effect of the atmosphere.
When there are lot of them, folks
are "peppy." and when the number
drops, there is a corresponding de-
preston. according to some observers.
Essentially an A { Molecule.
The small ion. 1t vas explained, is
essentially an air molecule with some
of the outer electrons stripped of one
or more of its constituent atoms, so
that 1t carries an electrified charge.
The more there are Of them the more
electric" the air and the more elec-
tricity If breathed.
They are due chiefly to the radium
or other radioactive elements in the
soil. These discharge q radioactive
gas into the atmosphere. Emanations
from this gas knock minute particles
OH the air molecules. This radium
emanation from the soil varies from
day to day and hour to hour and is
greatly reduced by q snow covering
Of the soil or even by heavy rain
q point which the terrestrial magnet
ism stan flnds it had to explain.
Curiously enough, the radio emana-
ton from the soil was somewhat above
normal during the depressed period
yesterday.
Atmospheric Content.
But, 1t was stressed, the atmospheric
content of small ions depends. nat
urally, both on how fast they are
created and how fast they are KILLED" ("
The killers are very heavy ions, closely
adhesive masses of atmospheric mole
cules with incomplete atoms, so that
they have electrical charges. 1t Is
around these big ions that water
vapor condenses, In large part, to
cause rain.
On q very humid day, as rule,
they increase in numbers. Because
Of their size and heavy electric charges
they pull the small ions into them
selves. Hence the more large ions,
which presumably would have no ef-
feet either exhilarating or depressing,
the fewer the possibly exhilarating
particles.
The determination Of the number
Of large ions Is q complicated process
and their status during the critical
period yesterday Is doubtful. It seems
likely, however, that there must have
been more of them than normal to
account for the overbalancing Of the
effects of increased radium emana-
Non.
Effect Of Cosmic Rays.
About 20 per cent Of the small ions
are due to cosmic rays entering the
earth's atmosphere. An extreme cos
mic ray shower possibly would make
the air temporarily quite exhilerating.
The cosmic radiation was about nor
NAL yesterday.
sunspots are rapidly increasing, as
they approach their 1l-year cycle max
imum but, 20 far as Is known, they
effect only the upper atmosphere
which can have no effect on human
"feelings.''
While the idea that breathing
electrical charges" might be invsorat-
ing u logical enough, Carnegie SCI
entists cay, such terms q nexhilar-