POPULAR ELECTRICITY.
(PBOM THE NEW YORK TIMES.) Within the present century vast progross has been made in the study of - the nature and applications of electricity. From the first sparks drawn from the back of tho primeval cat by her cave-dwelling master to the discovery of the phonograph there is an immense distance. Nevertheless, it is believed by many scientific persona that we are yet merely on the threshold of electricity, and that in the future we shall make discoveries* infinitely more important than those which the ablest electricians have hitherto made.
It is only just beginning to be understood that the electric currents of the earth have an intimate connection with a great quantity of things. The aurora Sorealis is believed to be in some myste rious way connected with spots on the solar disc, and these spots in their turn have an influence upon our climate, and upon the spread of pestilential diseases. Recently it has been asserted that no man can sleep well unless the major axis of his bed, and consequently his personal major axis," corresponds with the position of the axis of the earth. This is due to the fact that the currents of earthly electricity flow in the direction of the earth's axis; or, in other words, from pole to pole. If they enter a recumbent human being at his feet, and pass out at his head, he becomes sleepy, while if, owing to the wrong position of his bed, they enter him Jrom one side or the other, their struggles to get out again produce such a derangement of his nervous system as to render it impossible for him to sleep. These are but a few of the y hosts of facts which might be mentioned to prove the influence of earth-currents upon man and his surroundings, and we shall yet make discoveries in this particular field which : no one outside of an insane asylum will be capable of believing. • The reason why the cats whose howls disturb our nocturnal slumbers are uniformly found on back fences running perpendicular, or nearly perpendicular, to the axis of the earth has never yet been ascertained. Sir Isaac New ton'attempted to explain the fact by asserting that the great majority of fences are built parallel to the equator, but this explanation is glaringly at varience with well-ascertained facts. Buffon suggested that cats are mysteriously influenced by the moon, and that hence they prefer fences which are built in the general £M^m of the plane of the moon's tif^^^Hi 8 *3 certainly a plausible expl^^^^^Hfe it has yet to be proved that dflH^^HPlhe cause, rather than a mere ifISBBPT of nocturnal cat concerts. rI he other' explanations which have been hazarded by lesser authorities are scarcely worth mentioning. All that we really know is the single fact that nocturnal cats are distributed around the earth in belts parallel to the equator. Fully 93 per cent, of the cats that bring us from our midnight couches ..with bootjacks in our hands, and rage in our hearts, are found perched upon the east and west fences, and to the .truth of this assertion every New-Forker will readily agree. In examining this very interesting" and important problem, let us begin by asking why the midnight cat howls. Superficial observers have alleged that howling is the natural expression of the tender passion among cats, and that the intensity of a cat's admiration for the female of his species may be accurately measured by the hideousness of his howls. This is an insult so human intelligence and feline self-respect. Would any young man, desiring to plead his suit with the lady of his heart, place himself under the window and yell as if he were undergoing the severest torments? Of course he would not, and equally of course, no intelligent cat would be guilty of a like folly. The yells of the midnight cat bear every sign of being the expression of the keenest suffering, and only the most perverse ingenuity can regard them as the voice of lore. _
We. have thus learned tbat the cat perched on a back fence perpendicularly to the axig of the earth, and to the direcof the .., earth current of electricity, because her—or she, as the case may be ■—is undergoing acute agony. Very possible cats pass over fences running from north to south quite as frequently as they do over fences running in the direction of the equator, but in the former case they experience no pain, and hence do not attract attention by their outcries. The moment, however, that a cat finds himself, on an east an<l west fence he is racked by internal pains ; he tries to relieve his mind by howls and profanity, and he thereby excites the rage of his human audiences. Now, if we ascertain what produces these pains, we shall have found the true answer to the question under discussion. May it not be" the electricity is really at the bottom of the whole affair?
The cat, be it remembered, is more -addicted to electricity than any other animal, except the electrical, eel, and hence is peculiarly susceptible to the influence of the earth currents. So long as the cat walks over fences running from north to south his axis is coincident with ' the direction of these currents. They pass smoothly through his spinal column, and beyond gently stimulating his mind and tail, they have no perceptible effect upon him. When, however, he tries to ■walk on a fence parallel to the equator, his private axis becomes perpendicular to the earths currents. They penetrate into his vjtals and wrench him all to pieces in their efforts to force their way through him. Filled with anguish he stops, clings fiercely to the fence, and lifts
up his voice in frenzied agony. To ~ some extent the muscles of his legs are paralysed, and he is unable to move until the unfeeling boot-jack comes hurtling through the air and stimulates him into action. He then springs from the fence; his pains vanish, and his voice is silent. Is not this a complete and scientific explanation of the question which has so long defied the ablest scientific minds P
We thus see how beautiful are tho reasoning processes by which true science investigates abstruse questions. We also see thai'one of the most common incidents
of ©very-night life is due to the electricity of the earth. Let us, then, be thankful that we live in a scientific agej and that there are more uses for electricity than anyone had yet dreamed of.
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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2893, 24 May 1878, Page 4
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1,098POPULAR ELECTRICITY. Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2893, 24 May 1878, Page 4
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