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Show MADNC88 OF THE DESERT. Effect of the Monotony of Silence Upon Human Beings. "It Is not generally understood that the silence of the desert has a maddening mad-dening effect upon the human brain," , said a traveler whoso experiences are not often paralleled. "Monotony Is more severe than anything olse derlv-' Ing its ontlre pain from mental effect, j The monotony of silence is worse than any other kind. "Take a man away from tho hum of the work of men and send him out on tho alkali deserts of Arizona, and tho deep silence becomes awful and U sometimes unbearable. All at once, without any previous symptom Bome member of the party may stop suddenly sudden-ly with a dazed look on his face and n wild expression In his eye. He Is dnngerous. His reason Is torn in wild confusion. Anything or anybody familiar fa-miliar Infuriates him. "Ho must bo disarmed and bound at once or ho will d(-al death to tho whole party. Ho Is possessed of "desert "des-ert madness,' brought on by tho monotony mo-notony of Rllence. Ho Buffers excruciating ex-cruciating mental anguish. He needs to be relieved by being brought back to his accustomed surroundings. "On this account men used to the desert refuse to go out with those with whom they aro well acquainted. The mad man is not likely to attack n stranger. If thore Is no friend in the party his madness Is likely to assert as-sert Itself In running rather than In fighting. It Is a fearful disease not yet understood." Birmingham News. |