Evening star., 1950-03-20
Icorus, Most Eccentric
Of Celestial Objects
But it Aids in Measuring Others;
Pseudo-psyehopoths Discussed
By Thomos R. Henry

Seuoo-PSyCnoPuthS DISCUSSED
By Thomas R. Henry
The most eccentric object in the skies
is the minor planet, Icarus.
Discovered last year at the Mount
Palomar Observatory, this chunk of rock,
from a quarter to half-mile in dia-
meter comes closer to the earth than
any other celestial object except the
moon, few comets and meteors.
Last April it passed within about IS
million miles of the earth. 1t was not
actually discovered until 80 days later
when it already was far away on its 409-
day journey around the sun.
The precise orbit of Icarus now has
been calculated by Glen w. Draper.
astronomer of the Naval Observatory. It
will be back again close enough for pos
sible observation on June 18, he finds,
but this time it will be 46 million miles
away at its closest approach to the earth.
The almanac required extremely close
study on Draper's part because there
were only eleven observations last year,
all made within period of 80 days.
Icarus is seen in the skies through the
most powerful telescopes as a star OF
the 18th magnitude, hundredSfold
fainter than ever can be discerned by the
human eye Moreover, its orbit changes
somewhat with every passage around the
sun and there is possibility that even
tually it may make very close approach
to the EARTH 1t also is possible that it
will recede. 1t is an exceedingly swift
moving little star.
Path Between Planets.
> The great Importance of more precise
observations, Draper points out, is that
Icarus passes very close to the two inner
planets of the solar system, Venus and
Mercury. 1t actually passes between
Mercury and the sun. Consequently, 1t
provides the best tool yet known for
measuring accurately the masses OF these
two planets, due to their gravltatlonal
attraction on its orbit. 1t also may
provide a better measuring stick for
planetary distances.
Icarus is only one of thousands OF
little planets. sometimes believed to oe
remnants OF great planet which "ex-
ploded" in the distant past. MOST OF
them, however. are found between the
orbits of Mars and Jupiter where they
are of relatively little interest
Pseudo o-psychopaths,' men who suf-
fered brief intervals which mimlcked
genuine insanities, constituted a new
problem for combat medical ofhcers
during the War
They constituted a distinct class from
the victims of combat fatigue, panic and
depression which accounted for most
wartime mental casualties study OF
this group, based on experience in
Africa and Italy, has just been issued
by the Army Medical Department. The
study was conducted by 1t. Coils. Benja-
min Boshes and Clifford o. Erickson.
who served as psychiatric officers in
these theatres.
The chief difference between the syn
dromes they describe and genuine psy-
chopathic states, they point out, was
that they cleared up very quickly with
simple treatment and showed no tend
ency toward relapses. All genuine psy-
chiatric states are extremely refractory.
The udo-psychopaths all showed
extreme fear of returning to combat.
But genuine psychopaths, curiously
enough, almost always were anxious to
get back into the fight. Yet, there was
no suggestion of malingering on the
part of the former.
The study describes six types, hitherto
not described in psychiatric literature.
First was the acute delusional type.
Many of these, according to the Army
study, seemed "perpetually stuck in
battle" They had active delusions.
They were extremely sensitive to noise
and reacted strongly to all stimuli They
were only temporarily quieted by drugs.
Under the influence of the so-called
truth drugs" pentothal and sodium
amytal, little could be learned from them
"a symptom of genuine insanity. Yet.
under short period Of treatment they
recovered completely.
Panic Activity Violent.
The second type was characterized by
prolonged panic reactions. Common
among them was violent er-activity.
A soldier suddenly might leave the COM
parative safety of shelter under fire and
run out blindly into gunfire, dashing
against trees or other objects.
The third, and rarest, type was a
pseudo-epilepsy. 1t was characterized
by convulsions and loss of touch with
reality between attacks These men
were dangerous. with a constant impulse
to kill, especially their own officers.
Yet. they could be cured by few elec-
trio shock treatments.
The fourth type was marked by ex-
treme depression and tendency to sui
eide.
The largest number were included in
the so-called catatonic type. They were
withdrawn from reality, inaccessible.
retarded, mute, confused, and resistant
to treatment. Faces were devoid Of ex-
preston.
The sixth type was the so-called
schizoid. They developed an organized
system Of delusions which cleared up
quickly under treatment.
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