photic sneeze reflex

sionnach commented on the word photic sneeze reflex

"Looking against the Sunne, doth induce Sneezing. The Cause is, not the Heating of the Nosthrils; For then the Holding up of the Nostrills against the Sunne, though one Winke, would doe it; But the Drawing downe of the Moisture of the Braine. For it will make the Eyes run with Water; And the Drawing of Moisture to the Eyes, doth draw it to the Nosthrills, by Motion of Consent; And so followeth Sneezing; As contrariwise, the Tickling of the Nostrills within, doth draw the Moisture to the Nosthrills, and to the Eyes by Consent; For they also will Water. But yet, it hath been observed, that if one be about to Sneeze, the Rubbing of the Eyes, till they run with Water, will prevent it. Whereof the Cause is, for that the Humour, which was descending to the Nostrills, is diverted to the Eyes."

Francis Bacon. 1635

January 17, 2008

reesetee commented on the word photic sneeze reflex

I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to spell nostrils Nosthrils from now on. Or maybe Nostrills. Wait...Nosthrills. No....

January 17, 2008

sionnach commented on the word photic sneeze reflex

He may not have been a consistent speller, but he was dedicated to the spirit of scientific enquiry to the bitter end:

"In March 1626, Bacon came to London. Continuing his scientific research, he was journeying to Highgate through the snow with the King's physician when, as John Aubrey recounts in Brief Lives, he was suddenly inspired by the possibility of using the snow to preserve meat. According to Aubrey "They were resolved they would try the experiment presently. They alighted out of the coach and went into a poor woman's house at the bottom of Highgate hill, and bought a fowl, and made the woman exenterate it". After stuffing the fowl with snow, he happened to contract a fatal case of pneumonia. He then attempted to extend his fading lifespan by consuming the fowl that had caused his illness. Some people, including Aubrey, consider these two contiguous, possibly coincidental events as related and causative of his death: "The Snow so chilled him that he immediately fell so extremely ill, that he could not return to his Lodging ...but went to the Earle of Arundel's house at Highgate, where they put him into ... a damp bed that had not been layn-in ... which gave him such a cold that in 2 or 3 days as I remember Mr Hobbes told me, he died of Suffocation."

January 17, 2008

reesetee commented on the word photic sneeze reflex

Thus we lost Bacon, Nosthrills and all. :-(

January 17, 2008

seanahan commented on the word photic sneeze reflex

Nice use of exenterate.

January 17, 2008