MIND AND MATTER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 17

MIND AND MATTER

Condensed into a few words, these are the “‘Modern Views of Matter,” as expounded by Sir Oliver Lodge: —Mectripity is a substance, the only kind of substance, and all matter is merely an accumulation of electric charges. It appears probable that these electric charges are all of exactly the same amount, although some are positive and some negative,' and that the atoms of the chemical elements are formed by varying numbers and arrangements of these charges, or electrons. There are about 700 electrons, 350 positive and 350 negative, in the hydrogen atom, which has been so long regarded as the final and indivisible unit of matter; there must be about sixteen times as many in an oxygen atom, and about 255 times as many, say, 160,000, in a radium atom, the, heaviest known. Brain substance, Von Ziemssen has shown, is the best conductor of electricity in the body—about 3000 times more conducting than muscle. Investigating the action of the currents, S. Leduc concludes that. electricity is avoided in the treatment of brain disease, on account of exaggerated notion of the dangers, but that when properly applied, from back to front, the currents are not only harmless, but benefioial. When a continuous current is passed from ear to ear, the effect is different, giddiness being produced, with an apparent whirling round of all objects. Sleep may be produced, ; and for this the best arrangement is a current of 4 milliamperes at 30 volts, interrupted 100 times per second for nineton ths of the period of interruption. Speech disappears first, then the motor faculties. Respiration and pulse are unaffected, but may be temporarily or finally stopped by a more powerful current. Awakening is instantaneous, the after-effect being' one of refreshment.