davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
Broin Believed to Hold
Center for Laughing
Cunudiun Doctors Study
Man Who Couldn't Stop
BY Thomos R. Henry

There is probably Laughing center"
in the brain.
The most likely location is the hypo-
thalamus, small gray-cell area below
the cerebral cortex where many Of
mans emotional reactions are activated.
The probability arises from study of
rare cases in which victims laugh
against their will for no apparent rea-
son, and are unable to stop. Still there
is no obvious mental deterioration.
This is the conclusion of DR.. w. r.
Tissington- Tatlow of the Montreal Gen.
eral Hospital from study of such case,
reported in the Canadian Medical
Journal.
Laughing, he points out, is q quite
complex reaction. It requires co-ordina-
ton Of rhythmic movements Of the
muscles Of face, jaw, throat, diaphragm
and neck. Chest and abdomen also are
involved when the laughter is excessive.
Splitting the sides" with laughter is
q quite suggestive popular description.
Action Is Automatic
All these muscular movements must
be co-ordinated into single pattern.
The action is automatic and spontane.
Gus. The postulation of a conveniently
located brain center for forming this
pattern is quite natural.
The case Of a Canadian war veteran
is reported. After his discharge from
the army he started to laugh without
any occasion and could not voluntarily
stop.
II have only to look at people and
start to laugh" he told the doctors.
when get on a streetcar I start
laughing and everybody thinks I am
crazy"
The reaction. he said. was quite Diff
ferent from ordinary laughter.
when laugh this way" he said,
II don't think anything is funny. It's
just different"
Reports Of other victims say that the
laughing fit comes "like bolt from the
blue" There is no preliminary warn
ing.
Usually Under Control
The laughing center. the Montreal
doctor says, probably is located In the
posterior hypothalamus. In most peo-
pie this buried brain area is under fairly
rigid control by the cerebral cortex. It
is only called into action when there
is q conscious appreciation of some
thing funny.
In some kinds of brain LESSONS, how
ever, it is quite possible that nerve con-
nections between cortex and hypothal-
anus are broken down and the latter
brain center acts entirely on its own,
quite below the level of consciousness.
Almost any kind of impulse which
reaches the hypothalamus is likely to
cause q discharge.
The center has never been precisely
located. Lessons in the hypothalamic
region, however, have been found In
previously reported cases. It also has
been found that a laughing At Is likely
to be followed by extreme drowsiness. A
sleep center supposedly Is located in the
same general area.
Also in the hypothalamus. 1t is be-
lieved, is located a weeping center"
There are few cases on record in
which the victims have been subject
to uncomfortable outbursts of weeping,
without any emotional cause. Here
also, 1t is probable. the control of the
cerebral cortex has been broken and the
center acts on its own.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
Matter Of Life or Death

It may be melodramatic to call enlarge
ment Of Maryland'S State Police force mat
ter Of life or DEATH" but Governor McKeldin,
who made the statement, had some basis for
taking very serious view of the ISSUE The
Governor criticized the recent General Assembly
for failing to share his grave concern over the
undermined traffic patrols on the States
highways. Experience in Maryland and other
States has shown that closer police surveillance
OF cars on the public roads does reduce the
number Of accidents and save lives.
State Police Superintendent Munshower
insists that at least sis troopers are required
to provide adequate protection to the public
against speederS and other reckless drivers.
The size of the police force never has kept pace
with the expansion of the States road system.
Instead Of SIS officers, Superintendent Num-
shower has 281. This number was increased
by the Legislature to 306, whereas the Cover
nor had asked for strength of 331. During
the past three years the Assembly has halved
the administrations requests for State police.
BY reducing the item this year, the Legislature
saved" 100000, but, as Governor McKeldin
pointed out in radio address, this money will
not be returned to the taxpayers. It auto
matically goes into the State roads fund.
Maryland has some extremely dangerous
highways U. S. Route between Washington
and Baltimore is notorious example). More
than 500 persons met death on the States
highways in 1853 If, as safety experts declare,
better policing of such roads will avert some
of the bloodShed that now stains the States
traffic records, it is bad economy to handicap
police in their war against highway killers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
BY THE HAsKINs SERVICE.

@. Masks representing comedy and
tragedy often appear in theater dec
grafton. Were masks ever used In the
theater?-J. j.
A. Yes, in ancient Greece and Rome
actors used masks because each one
often had to imperSonate several char
acters in succession in play and there
were no intermissions. Therefore.
quick changes were necessary. Greek
players were always masked but Roman
actors at first used wigs. Roscius is
said to have introduced masks into
Rome to hide his squint.
@. In tournament play, how many
perfect scores are recorded with the
American Bowling Congress through
out the country?-E. M.
A. A perfect game, IL successive
strikes, is a rare feat, especially under
the strain of top-flight competition in
the National A. B. c. tournament. It
has been done only IL times in over so
years of A. B. c. Championships.
@. How tall is the tower Of the Ma
tional Presbyterian Church in WASH
ington, D. c., where President and Mrs.
Eisenhower worship? When did this
church become national?-E. NICK.
A. The square tower is 148 #. high
and measures 20 ft. along each side.
Formed by a merger of two historic
congregations, the Covenant-First Pres
byterian Church became the National
Presbyterian Church on october 10,
1947.
@. Who was the first American
woman to get an automobile driving
licenSe?-H. MacA.
A. Mrs. Walter Bush, who in 1900,
obtained steam engineer" license to
drive her fathers Locomobile in Wash
ington. DC. Mrs. Bush, the former
Miss Annie Rainsford French, is the
niece of Daniel Chester French, the
famous sculptor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
When a System Fails, Scrap 1t

Commissioner PrentisS aptly stated the case
for q change in the Juvenile Court waiver sys-
TEN when he declared that 15-year test Of the
present plan had resulted in failure. It has
failed because the past and present judges Of
that court have been reluctant to surrender
their jurisdiction to other courts except in rare
instances Protection of the general public
against young criminals too often has been neg
lected in the Juvenile Courts understandable
desire to protect youthful offenders from unwiSe
publicity.
That is the reason why Commissioners
PrentiSs and Camalier have voted to support
the majority recommendation of the District
Law Enforcement Council that the court be de-
prived Of its exclusive waiver power. (Comnis-
sioner Spencer cast a minority vote in favor of
leaving the waiver authority with the Judge Of
the court, but giving the United States Attorney
the right to appeal to the Municipal Court of APP
pealSJ The majority Of the Commissioners
have gone on record in favor of pending legis-
lation to transfer waiver responsibility to the
United States Attorney. Others who have
studied the problem have advocated giving
ultimate responsibility to the Municipal Court
OF Appeals, on application of the United States
Attorney in specific cases.
Whatever change is decided upon, the i'm
portant thing is to revise existing procedures
so as to make certain that young felons with
adult criminal tendencies are dealt with as
adults, not as mischievous children. Police Chief
Murray has declared that some 200 fragrant
felony cases committed by youthful outlaws last
year should have been handled in adult courts
instead of the Juvenile Court The record shows
that only six such cases were waived to District
Court by the judge of the Juvenile Court in
1883 Since the Juvenile Court does not seem
disposed to exercise its waiver authority very
often, Congress should shift the authority to
some other court or agency with a broader
view of the law-enforcement problem And,
as all of the Commissioners agree, there should
be no curtain of secrecy around arrests of
anybody-juvenile or adult.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
Fair Trudino

May express my hole-hearted
agreement with Mrs. Joseph A. Egan
who "Favors Fair Trade?
Fair trade protects not only the small
dealer but also the buyer. AS Mrs.
Egan so aptly stated, When a mer-
chant sells any item at cost. he must
mark up other items to recoup
his operating expense and profit on
his bait"
The drug field is probably the one
giving greatest opportunity to the I'M
scrupulous merchant. You or walk into
a drugstore with little piece of paper,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
Too Many Fingers in the Pie

Interstate Commerce Commissioner James
KnudSon, opposing a majority ICC decision to
raise Pentagon bus fares decried the multiplicity
of transit lines serving the Washington Metro
politan Area He failed to mention, however,
another confusing aspect of the transit problem,
namely, the multiplicity of regulatory agencies
with fingers in the pie. The ICC, incidentally,
is one Of the several agencies
Mr.. Knudson. in a minority report, said:
1.-THE only just and reasonable solution of the
problem here confronting the commission that
will or can be accomplished in this Washington
area transit fare situation must, in the long
run, arise out of the greater unification of the
carriers involved. Too much of the present
revenue is devoted to multifarious costs, Is
siphoned of in the form of profits or is re-
flected by diminished services, all to the detri-
ment of the users Of the service" It may well
be that eventually some authority will be estab-
lished to operate all the bus and streetcar lines
within the area. There are increasing demands
for the creation of some such public or quasi
public authority. But public ownership inevi-
tably would mean public subsidies to meet
deficits caused by lower fares. The citizens
then would pay for their rides both through
fares and increased taxes.
Meanwhile, the less, drastic proposal for
consolidation of regulatory powers is worth
NOAAoANACA
are under control of number of agencies with
conflicting purposes and powers. They are the
ICC, the District Public Utilities Commission, the
Virginia State Corporation Commission and the
Maryland Public Service Commission. This re-
suits in confusion to the companies and the
public and even in regulatory loopholes-as in
the case of taxicabs operating the District
boundaries The advisability of an overall
control system, as well as Of an overall operat-
ing authority, needs to be explored. A COM
prehensive study by such commission created
by Congress, in collaboration with State groups,
would be helpful in making correct decisions.
University of Maryland researchers discover
that fat mice die sooner than thin mice, so
we're going to quit worrying about the ones
that raid our pantry every night They're not
long for this world.
Astronomers say the sun Is gradually losing
it's energy, but the effect won't be noticeable for
millions Of years. And If Martha Raye il doing
the same thing 1t must be at about the same
rate.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
John Maktos.
New Weapon Old Stuff

New Weapon Old Stuff
The little item entitled "Air Force
Unveils Weapon Weighing Under Half
Ounce" (Star-l7 March, was inter-
esting and encouraging. Interesting
because the weapon is a half ounce
gadget in an age Of megaton gadgets:
encouraging because Of the new and
highly laudable attitude Of caution on
the part of the Air Force which it i'm
plies. For the weapon came along
too late to be tested in the Korean
War, and it is still being evaluated."
1t seems to be Q bit of steel. sharp
on one end, with fms on the other,
designed to be dropped from q height
on the noggin of q foeman. Admirably
simple and direct. Such q weapon.
used accurately against proper targets,
would kill the foeman just as dead as
a megaton deal would kill him. Against
an optimum target Of opportunity
chow formation in the boot camp at
Upper Komsomolsk for example, or the
Friday afternoon parade when the
troops are marching past the stand in
battalion naSS-the results should be
appalling and devastating.
Having now qualified, by the passage
of years. as a gaffer U.g) I am per-
mitted to dig into the past for the
edification of the present. do so, and
I find that during the First World War
1914-18) in the old Fifth Regiment
Armory in Baltimore Cor was it the
Fourth?) there was held an allied ex-
hibition to help with the sale Of Liberty
Bonds. At this exhibition the allies
unveiled a number Of weapons then
in use in France and described in de-
tail their murderous and devastating
characteristics. One fascinating item,
used by the allies against the German
fiend was small piece Of steel, sharp
on one end with fms on the other,
designed to be dropped from height
on the noggin Of a foeman. point
out here that q proper evaluation Of
this little weapon Of destruction had
already been made, for on the placard
beside it there was the fOrthright state
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24
Questions and Answers

The reader can get the answer to any guess
ton OF fact By Writing The Evening star Infor-
s. D. c. Please inclose three (3) cents for
return postage,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24

Your feature. "Our Presidents" by
Honore NJ. Catudal Is q most welcome
addition to your fine paper. It is one
way Of stirring UP my memory In con-
nection with our glorious history and
OF making me seek further information.
have heard many favorable COM
ments, and wish to take this oppor-
tunity to thank you for adding this
feature.
John Maktos.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-24

Astronomers say the sun is gradually losing
it's energy, but the effect won't be noticeable for
millions Of years. And If Martha Raye Is doing
the same thing 1t must be at about the same
rate.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
ADJUSTMENTS.
ADJUSTMENTS.
Films of More Than Routine Merit

Spencer Tracy.
"THE CRUEL SEA-Exciting wartime aboard
vette.
kiss ME Kathryn GraysOn sings the lifting Cole
Porter
MILLION DOLLAR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CONNECTION
Esther Williams fans.
dOGAMBO-Ava Gardner Clark Gable collide Africa.
ROBE"-Bbcal the CinemaScOpe scale.
"STALAG 17"-Lfe in a German prSOner-of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
Patience 1t 7 axes,
This Fellow Has
HOLLYWOOD


Laurence Harvey, 26-year-
old English actor, is making
his Hollywood debut opposite
Virginia Mayo. Rex Harrison
and George Sanders in THE
Talisman." He claims no crav-
ing for overnight success here.
Il think that an actors
career must be built on a
solid foundation. Since I have
adopted acting as a life
long profession, I want to be
thoroughly grounded in the
essentials"
In line with this thinking
he says he will decline all
picture commitments after
THE Talisman" to go back to
Stratford- on-Avon for a $780,
a-Week job in Romeo and
Juliet" in the Shakespeare
Memorial Theater.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
1t Took Lizubeth
To Stop TuIIuIuh
HOLLYWOOD

44OAA1 WOOD.
Between scenes of -Four
Desperate Men" Lizabeth
Scott. John Payne and Dan
Duryea were exchanging some
of the legends about the
fabulous Tallulah Bankhead.
Miss Scott was able to speak
from first-hand knowledge.
She understudied La Bankhead
in Skin of Our Teeth"
She would sweep imperi-
ously through the backstage."
Miss Scott recalled. She was
always giving orders to the
underllngs. One day she told
me, Open that door, was
fed up. l said. Say please"
Miss Bankhead.' She never
ordered me around after that.
In fact, she never spoke to
me-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
These Teen-Agers
Have Sharp Eyes
HOLLYWOOD

Television can create a bob
by-soXer idol as quickly as
the movies ever did. Eric
Fleming, a tall-and- handsome
appearing on New York air
show and now screen bowling
in Paramount's Conquest of
Space" discovered this the
other night after attending 4
preview in Westwood.
Even without screen credits,
his face was familiar enough
to provoke a small autograph
ing riot among teen-agers in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
Herndon Minstrel Show

The Herndon Lions Club will
present a minstrel show Satur-
day, February 20 at 8 pm. in the
Herndon High School Auditor
lum. The proceeds from the
show will be used in the clubs
main project. a recreation CEN
ter for the Herndon area.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28

ADJUSTMENTS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
Phi Betu Siemo Dinner

The Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
will hold it's 40th annual found
ers' day dinner at 8 pm. tomor-
row in Howard University's Bald
win Hall. Principal speaker will be
Hulan Jack. president of the
borough of Manhattan, New
York.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
Col. W. P. Wilson Given
Guard Bureau Air Post

Col. Winston P. Wilson has
been appointed chief of the Air
Division of the National Guard
Bureau.
Col. Wilson. who lives at 4l40
South Thirty-siXth street. Ar
lington. is a native of Arkansas.
A member of the Arkansas Air
National Guard before coming on
active duty with the bureau in
1850. he has been acting chief
of the Air Division since last July.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28

the lobby. Fleming got a
mash" note the other day
from a 13-year-old girl who
told him he was "one of the
handsomest men l have ever
SEEM And a postscript read:
Il think you're handsome.
too. and would like to meet
you. I'm Betty's older sister,"
tReieaSed by NANAe1
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-28
Virginia Bandits Sought
As Holdup Victim Dies

CHARLES CITY CO UR T.
HOUSE, Va, Jan. %. - Blood
hounds were used yesterday in
a futile search north of here
for the men who staged a holdup
in which an aged storekeeper
died.
Dr.. Charles Franklin, Charles
City medical examiner, said the
storekeeper. Leonard T. BinnS.
70. died of heart attack caused
by excitement.
Kodiak mirror., 1954-01-30
KODIAK MIRROR

against said Estate are here. by required to present the same, with proper vouchers and verified according to law, within six months, from the date of this Notice, to the undersigned Executrix, at the office of her Attorney: Paul Al Duper, at Kodiak, Alaska.
 Dated at Kodiak, Alaska, this l9 day of January, 1854.
 [sl Anseline' Levine
 @ Executrix First Publication: l-23-54 Last Publication: 2-13-54
Kodiak mirror., 1954-01-30

sented to the hospital and in- stalled through the efforts of the Veteran of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.
Kodiak mirror., 1954-01-30

New Venetian blinds for every window at Griffin Memorial Hospital have been installed. The blinds were pre-
Kodiak mirror., 1954-01-30

FOR THE TERRITORY OF ALASKA, KODIAK CON- MISSIONARIES PRECINCT
 Notice To Creditors In the Matter of the Estate of ARTHUR RTE! WILLIAMLEVINE ;. as'S' Deceased Probate No. 465
 All concerned are hereby notified that Angeline Levine was on January 19. 1854. ap- pointed Executrix of the Es- tate of Arthur William Levine Deceased. Y as-'.e>',. 'z.
 All persons having claims
The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1954-02-27
Hollins News

Mrs. Rosa Morton gave
a birthday party for her
brother Albert Smith Feb.
10. Everyone had a wonder
full time.
Mr.. Chester Robinson of
Bluefield, w. Va. recently
visited his sister and brother
Dalphine annd Buck Rob-
inson.
Mr.. and Mrs. Randolph
Bruce of Red Star, w. Va.
spent a few days with his
mother, Mrs. Lucy J. Phil
pott.
Mrs. Sarah Wells, Mr..
George Coleman and Mr..
Clarence Philpott of Balti-
more, Md. spent the week.
end here.
Mr.. Dave Bruce, Sr. is
now confined to his bed.
He has been sick for a long
time.
Our pastors anniversary
will begin March LIST and
through the seventh. This
the sixth year Rev.
T. B. Wright has been here
with us. Each night will
feature a different Minis
ter and his choir or chorus,
a spiritual awakening awaits
every one that attends these
meetings.
The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1954-02-27
YMCA Notes

There will be a basketball
game played on Friday, Feb
ruary 26,1954, between
Loudon School and Gains
boro School Cray Teams.
Plans are now being made
for a Bible Story Contest
of all Cray Clubs. All
schools are urged to send
the name of their partici-
pant to the Hunton YMCA
as soon as possible. Awards
will be presented to the win
ners. Each school may have
two participants. Volley-
ball, horseshoes and ping
pong are now played at the
YMCA so we are asking all
who are interest
ed to come to the YMCA and
join us in these games.
After winning five
straight games the Hunton
YMCA "a" Basketball Lea
que finally lost to the Aces,
The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1954-02-27

formerly siphoned into the
hospitals deficit, but the
sums involved will still fall
short of meeting our require
ments at a desirable level.
Of even more immediate
Importance, the growing
number of our faculty men,
bers who have received ac-
ademic honors and passed
speciality boards makes it
imperative that we raise
our salary-scaie at once if
we are to retain many of
these men against the COM
petition offered from out
side.
Zone outstanding need, l"
he continued, (which was
g r ca thy underestimate
previously by us. is the need
for additional space in our
hospital. The situation in
this respect has become lit
orally acute, particularly in
the departments of obstet-
RIGS and pediatrics." After
enurnerating some of the
immediate requirements of,
obstetrics he pointed out
that the space needs of pc
diatrics are also critical as
are those of surgery, and
stated: "In short, what is
needed is an annex to the
present plant in the form
of a maternity and chill
dren's hospital. This would
amply provide for the re-
quirements of obstetrics and
pediatrics, and t h e space
vacated by them would solve
the problems of the depart
ment of surgery. According
to the best figures present
ly available, such an annex
plus the conversion of. third
floor space for the use of
surgery would cost approx
imately $60O,O00."
In conclusion, DR.. West
The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1954-02-27

the number one team in the
League, but with the YMCA
improving with each game.
they will be strong conten-
ders in the final tourna-
ment. The team seems to
have the old YMCA fight
ing spirit. The Hunton
YMCA would like to extend
its thanks and appreciation
to the people and businesses
for their help in purchasing
basketball uniforms: Mr..
Mack D. Barlow, Jr., Hotel
Dumas, Economy Shoe Re-
pair, Louise and Lillian's
Beauty Salon, DIR. E. d.
Downing, The United Pawn
Shop and to all who have
contributed in any way.
The third floor of the
YMCA is now in use for
the older boys in the after
noon after school. Music
and indoor games are pro-
vided.