Evening star., 1940-11-12
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henry.

H1u Stuuy
By Thomas r. Henry.
This is the annual week of shooting
star storms.
On or about the night of November
IA each year the earth in its orbit about
the sun passes through a region of
space especially rich in chunks of rock
and iron-probably the debris of a
smashed comet. Those which are caught
in the planets gravitational field fall as
meteors and are mostly burned to fine
ash by the friction of the atmosphere
long before they reach the surface.
A considerable increase in the num-
ber of these celestial visitors can be ex-
pected at this time each year. Once
every 33 years a sensational meteor
storm can be expected and at times dur
ing the past century the skies have
literally rained fire. The last recur-
renee, however, was disappointing.
Such showers have been noted in his
tory since the 10th century, says DR..
Charles G. Abbot, secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution, in his book,
"The Earth and the Stars Since they
radiate from a point within the sickle
of the star constellation Leo they are
called the 'Leonids.'
The explanation" says DR.. Abbot,
sis that there is big stream or ring of
meteorS extending all the way around
their orbit about the sun, with con-
densed groups in certain parts of it, AS
the orbit is elliptical and interSects that
of the earth only once, the earth falls
into it only once each year. But once
in about 33 years the big group is en-
countered at the intersection.
The Leonids travel 26 miles second,
making a combined speed of approach
OF over A miles a second. 1t is curious
and significant that Tempel's comet
revolved in an orbit identical with the
Leonids, so that some of them may be
the comet gone to smash. Several of
the comets have shown disintegration
and it may well be that there is a close
relation between comets and meteors."
In order to increase traffic safety Yale
University psychologists are studying the
mental and physical reactions of average
drivers in the hope that the hidden
causes of many accidents can be un-
covered
Some of the findings up to the present
have just been reported to the American
Psychological Association by Dr. T. w.
Forbes, who is in charge of the project.
Other investigators had reported pre-
viously that the average driver could
pass another vehicle in six seconds, re-
gardleSs of speed. Observations were
made from car in traffic by means of
stop watches and a snapshot camera.
The results showed that the average
driver required from to II seconds at
speeds of so to so miles an hour, respec-
lively, and that six seconds is sufficient
time only for the exceptionally skilled
motorist.
One of the basic causes of gastric
ulcers is continuous, subdued anger.
Drs Bella Mittelmann and Harold G..
Wolff of Cornell University have just
reported to the American Psychological
Association. This conclusion came from
studying the stomach secretions of
persons after conversations dealing with
emotionally charged life situati
In patients with anxiety states and
gastric symptoms and in those with
peptic ulcer says their report, the
first symptoms and their repeated re-
currence were correlated with situations
of stress and with personality diff
culties such as threats to needs for de-
pendence and support success and
esteem, and to needs for devotion. The
common emotional reactions to such
life situations were anxiety, anger, re-
sentiment and guilt because of conflict
over such reaction. The following cor
relations between emotional reactions
and gastric functions were demon
strated:
In a state of anxious expectation
there usually was an increase in the
hydrochloric acid.
I'm a state of considerable anger and
resentment there was an increase in
hydrochloric acid secretion and often
greatly increased peristalsis, or stomach
movements. In some cases of peptic
ulcer blood appeared in the stomach
contents.
Sustained increased secretion was
observed with low grade continuous
anxiety and anger. There were some
times cravings for food.
The increase in secretion and peris-
talsis was some times most marked
during the period of sleep or rest i'm
mediately following the situation of
stress which led to the anger.
"In patients with peptic ulcer, pain,
hyperacidity and tension, pain and the
level of acidity could be reduced by
situations that relieved stress and
engendered security"
Questions Addressed
To Americans