Fakers of Science 51 
(metaphorically) nimbly mounts to the shoulders of the man of science, 
snatches the banner from his hands and bravely rides his steed into 
public notice. What with his excessive shouting and his skillful use 
of language, it is small wonder that he absorbs the principal share of 
attention, for a time at least. 
One example shall be mentioned and then we may pass on. In 
the year 1917 came one silver-tongued Armenian, styling himself Gara- 
bed T. K. Giragossian, before certain Congressmen and secured their 
attention to an “invention” for obtaining “free energy” from the in- 
exhaustible supply furnished by nature. He gave no description of 
his machine or of the principles employed in its construction or opera- 
tion. But his references were so splendid and his language so eloquent 
that he experienced little trouble in obtaining the introduction and ulti- 
mate passage of a joint resolution authorizing the government to accept 
the free use of “Garabed”, as the device was called, for the purpose 
of bringing a speedy end to the war. A clause was inserted in the 
resolution to the effect that a committee of scientists should first ex- 
amine the validity of principles and witness a demonstration of a work- 
ing model of his machine. This proviso may have been inserted as an 
after-thought,—or it may have been the work of some brutal materialist 
whose lack of vision kept his feet on the ground. At any rate the 
demonstration proved a complete failure and “Garabed” turned out io 
be only one more of the many pulley-and-flywheel devices for perpetual 
motion. 
Dr. C. H. Herty, former editor of The Journal of Industrial and 
Engineering Chemistry, adds his owm poetic comment, thus: 
“The Garabed’s completely dead. ’Twas put to sleep through 
just one peep by a bloomin’ committee that had no pity.” 
What the motives of Mr. Giragossian were, we are unable to 
state. In the light of his offer to the government we are inclined to 
be charitable and to suppose that he was, like many others before him, 
a self-deluded victim of his own lack of scientific training. But when 
we observe how nearly he came to hoodwinking an important branch 
of our government we indulge in a shiver of apprehension for what 
might have been the result had Mr. Giragossian been less altruistic 
and more skillful in holding fast to his dupes. The human mind is 
capable of believing anything, however wild, and even in working up 
considerable enthusiasm in connection with such belief. To support 
which statement I offer a part of a speech on Garabed, delivered in 
the House of Representatives :* 
“Mr. Speaker, the miracle of yesterday is the commonplace of 
today. There was a time when man was perfect in all his parts 
and elements. He was complete physically. The poet, the painter, 
the sculptor, the dreamer, in the wildest flights of superb fancy, 
never caught more than a fleeting vision of that beauty which was 
given by the Lord to the first man and first woman. 
* Congressional Record, Dee, 15, 1917, p. 358. 
