Epidemiological essays / by F.G. Crookshank.

  • Francis Graham Crookshank
Date:
1930
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Epidemiological essays / by F.G. Crookshank. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    machines like clocks operating in relative concordance with them. The idea of regularity seems to arise from appreciation of a certain concordance between these involuntary bodily rhythms and the external rhythms and recurrences that we observe with our “ senses ”—by our organs of perception. It follows from this that a rupture of this concordance, or a variation in its terms, would lead us to say (as we do in fact often say) that Time is passing more or less slowly, or quickly, than is usual. And the expression is justifiable, if not actually highly commendable. If, as Benedicks says, in a changeless world there could be no Time, and no signification apper¬ taining to the word, are not children and old people, in whom the pulse beat is, relatively to the sun, more frequent than in adults—are not these justified in finding Time to pass more slowly than do adults ? And, as the child grows up, and his pulse beats, relatively to the sun, more and more slowly, is he not justified in saying that Time passes more quickly than it did ? Again, when we fall sick of a fever, and our heart-beats are, in terms of the clock, more rapid than their wont, does not Time pass on leaden wings ? But, when we sit down and read, without regard to the clock, and our attention is quietly fixed on the book, our pulse slowing down withal, are we not, on looking up again, surprised to find how Time has flown ? On the other hand, when, under circumstances that provoke strong emotional reaction and acceleration of the heart rate, our attention is entirely fixed on what is passing around us, we are as strikingly convinced, when our attention is released, that the clock should have
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