STIC IDE AND THE WEATHER. 



613 



without precipitation. Such precisely is the 'sticky' weather men- 

 tioned, and its effect must have been deadly to produce such results. 



In accounting for the unusual number of assaults and misdemeanors 

 in the public schools for low humidities, as discussed in the paper cited, 

 the electrical potential of the atmosphere for such meteorological condi- 

 tions was considered the cause. It is a fact conceded by scientists that 

 at every point upon the earth's surface there are lines of electrical force 

 extending off into space, and that the potential is roughly in a reverse 

 ratio to the humidity prevailing at a given time. This electrical condi- 

 tion for regions of universally low humidity, as the altitudes of our west- 

 ern plateaus, is very marked and productive of no slight effects. These 



HUMIDITY. 



Fig. 5. 



seem to be a mental and even physical exhilaration, productive of energy 

 which in the long-run generally proves to be in excess of the normal 

 healthy possibilities. The result is for those regions a tendency to over- 

 work, especially mentally, with a resulting state of collapse. Although 

 these conditions are not so marked for the higher humidities of the sea- 

 level, they nevertheless exist to a degree, and without doubt in New 

 York City there is less individual surplus energy when the humidity is 

 relatively high than when relatively low. This would lead us to infer 

 that, from the showing of this condition, suicide was excessive when 

 energy was low. This relation of occurrence to available energy is re- 

 versed for certain of the figures, but other conditions enter in which are 

 discussed in the conclusion of this paper. 



