Fun Stuff > CHATTER
miscellaneous musings
jwhouk:
Frequently.
Loki:
Okay, I dont know where to put it. I am reading a short story written in the 1930s (for anyone curious, The Gilded Pupil by Ethel Lina White), and the following dialog occurs:
--- Quote ---"I want someone to exercise a moral influence on [my fifteen year old daughter]. She is not normal".
"Thymus gland?", hinted Ann.
--- End quote ---
Anyone know what specifically this refers to? So far I found out that the purpose of the thymus gland was largely unknown and it was blamed for all sorts of problems, up to sudden infant death syndrome (cf "The thymus: from past misconception to present recognition" by one John C. Leonidas) I assume it got blamed for hormonal changes in teenagers?
Aimless:
It may be a reference to some quasi-scientific theory of psychology that was in vogue at the time, similar to:
--- Quote ---THYMUS-CENTRED TYPE
As already mentioned, the thymus has a great influence upon the sex characteristics and sexual life of each person. It lies at the base of the throat at the upper chest, and in early childhood (up to six or seven) is very large and active. Sometimes, however, it does not become as inactive as it should, and we then have hyperthymus persons.
These people carry childhood traits into adult life. Their skin is soft and rounded, there is little sex differentiation, as the organs have been retarded in their development. Thus the thymus-centred male will lack the aggressiveness and dominant emotional attitude of the balanced man, while the women seem sexless and lack the retiring disposition.
The thymus-centred person is often one in whom unbalanced attraction towards his or her own sex is a pathological situation, and not a development from mental or emotional disturbance. The sex organs of such people have been retarded in their normal development, and thus their body is not receiving sufficient male or female hormones to polarise and stabilise them in their own sex.
One also finds that their moral nature does not become mature, and also, because of a pathological cause, they can sometimes become inveterate liars or even criminals.
--- End quote ---
http://dreamhawk.com/body-and-mind/glandular-types/
(of course this particular group of ideas seem to be more recent than your story, but perhaps your story refers to their antecedents?)
Thrillho:
--- Quote from: Barmymoo on 11 Jul 2014, 10:04 ---Yeah I do that, my brother had a song he really liked and it had a sound in it that made me check my phone every single time, despite knowing that it was the song.
--- End quote ---
There is a moment in 'The Perfect Drug' by Nine Inch Nails where I swear to fucking God it sounds like someone saying my name. When I was younger and still using a tape player for my walks to school it drove me crazy on a daily basis.
Loki:
--- Quote ---Just know that I am on my way (know that i am on my way)
It doesn't matter where or when there's trouble
If ya just call my name
--- End quote ---
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