Evening star., 1941-05-10
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
Bu Thomas r. Henry.

Handwriting electricity, or the pattern
of finger waves, is the newest field of
possible character revelation being
studied by science.
A report on the progress of the re-
search has just been reported to the
National Research Council here by Drs.
Jurgen Ruesch, Jacob E. Finesinger and
Robert S. Schwab of Harvard medical
school,
Science long since has given up the
idea that ones character is revealed by
ones handwriting. Even if it were,
person could consciously disguise his
script. The new method is beyond the
control of the writer's will.
Muscles when in action give off tiny
currents of electricity, which increase
and decrease according to individual
patterns, like the waves given off by the
brain. When a muscle is at rest the
discharge ceases at once. 1t also varies
according to the tension of the muscle.
The Harvard experimenters taped
electrodes on the fingers over the muscles
used in writing and attached them to
ampliflers and finally to an ink writing
oscllograph, which recorded the varia-
tions in the current generated The
subjects were physicians, their secre-
taries. nurses and patients.
These were asked to read a short
story and then write naturally their
resumes of it. AS soon as they started
writing the finger waves started and
were recorded by the oscillograph.
The physicians found that the trac-
ings fell into three major groups. In
appearance they are much like brain
waves. One group showed regularly re-
curing "spindles" or outbursts of cleo
trical energy. separated by periods Of
low energy output of approximately
equal length. The second group gave
wave tracings with almost no variation
from start to finish. The third group
showed alternate "spindles" and low
output periods, but without any regular
pattern.
Then the subjects were asked to
write on the air" with pens held in
their toes Approximately the same pat
tern of electrical output was obtained
from the unframed toe muscles of each
individual
The oScillograms of individuals varied
considerably on different trials, but the
general pattern remained the same
so much so that eventually it may be
possible to identify an individuals "elec-
trio signature as we'll as his written
signature. This, however, is beyond the
| present range of the research.
DR.. Ruesch and his associates de-
scribe in their report to the National
Research Council just published in the
official journal, Psychosomatic Medi-
cine, complex system of mathematical
analysis of individual characteristics.
The basic theory is that the hand and
the brain in writing work in very close
association. Writing becomes an almost
automatic activity which a person car
rles on without conscious thought of the
physical process. But it may reveal the
mental habits of an individual
whether ones brain works by Jerks or
at steady pace
The research is being continued. ut
seems to indicate" reports Dr.. Ruesch,
that the evaluation of myograms (the
wave tracings) during constant move
! ment would throw light on the more
general problems of tension and relaxa-
ton in their broader aspects"
! More than a thousand European
weeds have invaded America in the
past three centuries.
In their native lands they may have
| been lovely flowers, such as the ST.
Johns wort. one of the handsomest
! plants of British hillsides. About 70
| years ago 1t appeared in Nova Scotia
! and by 1900 it had become one of the
worst pests of the countryside. Farmers
rechristened it sinking Willie" and it
now has reached as far south as Massa-
chusetts.
This is only one striking example,
says DR.. M. L. Fernald of Harvard Uni
versity in the latest annual report of
/ the Smithsonian Institution. The in
vaders include the common dandelion,
burdock, white daisy, witchgrass. Cam
ada thistle, plantain. pigweed and dock.
They are croWding out some of the
IdIeSI anu IIlOSU QellCdle NOTIl american
| flowers.
Their army is reinforced" SAYS Dr.
Fernald, "by every arrival of uncleaned
! European seeds, in the stockings, trouser
bottoms, skirt hens and blankets of i'm
migrants, and in the litter and old
straw used in packings from abroad
| Arrived in new country, they know no
restraints, and after a period of adjust
ment become the bulk of our plant popu-
lation, wherever natural conditions have
been destroyed"
| A notable case says Dr. Fernald, is
that of the Devils paintbrush" lovely
| plant with orange and scarlet blossoms
which was priced plant in New Eng
land gardens half century ago. In
the early nineties it had become acch-
mated and began to appear in the fields
1t now. he says, has ruined thousands
of acres of field and clearing from the
tip of the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec
to Michigan and southwark to Penn
| sylvania.
These invaders" says DR.. Fernald
"are our thoroughly successful wild
plants, and their success is to be COM
pared with that of European man, the
European rat and mouse, the European
startling, the English sparrow, the Euro
pean gypsy and brown tail moths and
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