Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-24

two years he had kept ten men and
ten women under observation. trying
to gauge the effects of their chewing.
He put them in trick chairs with
weights that measured their elbow
tension. He watched them at various
tasks and measured their efficiency -
chewing and not chewing. He gave
them metabolism tests. And he arrived
at the conclusion that the collateral
motor automatism involved IN the
sustained use of the conventional mas
ticatory does result in the lowering OF
tension. and the tension thus reduced
is muscular
In other words, Chcwcrs didn't
twitch and tap their feet so much. but
used their energy in tipping or writing
poetry or whatever else thew were
doing. The professor held that chew
ing other things than gum, though.
had the same effect He himself pre-
ferred chewing on his pipe.
DR.. J. l.. T. Appleton of the Univer
sity of Pennsylvania had still another
explanation of chewing, in a recent
paper read to the American Academy
of Periodontology lie said that gum
chewers we're unwittingly making up
for the lack of brushing their teeth,
and that they probably had less bac-
terra in their mouths than nonchewers..
Most of us. though, without bother
ing about the why of it. just accept
gum-chewing as - in the words of
Miss Mabel Mannix. Dean of Women
at Marquette University - AN es-
tablished American institution" Miss
Alannlx. in her course in College Prob.
lens, advised her goods to chew - If
they must chew - with their mouths
closed.
Gum has been put to some rather
odd uses over and above the gustatory.
For instance, Steve Laskos. of New
York City, used it as tool IN his
somewhat doubtful trade. Steve was
selling policy slips in the famous lot
terry racket that District Attorney
Dewey ripped wide open. Only this
was after it had been ripped open, and
the New York police were bearing
down hard. They had their eyes on
Steve. and thought they saw him
accept bets on various occasions and
write them down on something in his
hand. But every time they searched
him they found no evidence - until
they finally caught onto his dodge.
Yes. he was writing the numbers on a
stick of chewing gum - and chewing
it up the moment a search seemed
imminent.
Last year it was reported that one
ingenious man even tried to commit
murder with chewing gum - sending
some with poison on it to his intended
victim. Fortunately, it didn't taste
good.
But when it isn't poisoned. probably
the worst fault commonly found with
chewing gum is that it is very sticky
after being chewed - and thrown
away. The cleanup crews Of trains.
trolleys. buses. stores and theaters
find it just about their toughest prob
lem Getting it off floor or platform,
they say. isn't such job. 1t just takes
good scraper and stiff brush. plus
dose of benzol or some other loosener.
But on upholstered seats and carpets
we'll, that's job for professional.
If you look in the New York clas-
siied telephone directory. you can
even find firm listed under: Chew
ing Gum (Removing). l went to see.
them and they gave me a demon
stration. They have cleaning fluid
that does what the human mouth
won't do - crumbles the gum into lit
tie bits, and seemingly just eats it up.
Imagine that, MIR. Semple!