rm proof" house is not only
really more healthful for an inmate, but eliminates worry over
possible danger of ill health. The mental health of the worker not
only controls, in a measure, his physical health, but also his
desire to work. Having no distractions, he can put his mind upon
that which is given him to do.

DISTRACTED ATTENTION CAUSES FATIGUE.--The attention of the
worker is apt to be distracted not only by recognized dangers, such
as burglars, fires, and disease, but also by other transitory things
that, involuntarily on his part, take his mind from the work in
hand. A flickering light distracts the attention and causes fatigue,
whether we have consciously noticed it or not. Many things are
recorded by the senses without one's being conscious of them.

For example, the ceasing of a clock to tick, although we have
not noticed that it was ticking. Another example is the effect upon
the pulse or the brain of being spoken to when asleep.

The flickering lamp of the chronocyclegraph device is much more
fatiguing than the steady lamp of plain cyclegraphs.

PROPER PLACING OF WORKERS ELIMINATES DISTRACTED ATTENTION.--
Workers must be placed so that they do not see intermittently moving
objects out of the corners of their eyes. In the early history of
man it was continuously necessary to watch for first evidence of
things behind one, or at a distance, in order to be safe from an
enemy. From generations of survival of the most fit there have
developed human eyes most sensitive to moving objects that are seen
out of the corner of the eye. Even civilized man has his attention
distracted quickest, and most, by those moving objects that he sees
the least distinctly, and furthest to one side from the direction in
which he is looking.

The leaf that moves or the grass that trembles may attract the
attention where seen "out of the corner of the eye" to a point where
it will even cause a start and a great fear.

As an example of the distracting effect of moving objects seen
"out of the corner of the eye," try reading a book facing a window
in a car where the moving scenery can be seen on each side of the
book. The flitting object will interrupt one, one cannot get the
full meaning out of what one is reading--yet if one lays down the
book and looks directly at the scenery, the mind can concentrate to
a point where one does not see that moving scenery which is directly
in front of the eyes.