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| | LUNACY |
 | | The belief that there is a connection between the moon and madness is widespread, the word 'lunatic' being derived from the latin luna, the moon. |
 | | That such a connection is believed evident can be seen from the Lunacy Act of 1942, which defined a lunatic as "a demented person enjoying lucid intervals during the first two phases of the moon and 'afflicted' with a period of fatuity in the period following after the full moon." |
 | | Although almost 400,000 kilometres away the moon exerts a tremendous influence on both the land masses and the oceans, the obvious inference being that our bodies, and in particular the semi-liquid mass of the brain, could also be subject to such a force. |
| www.adam.com.au /bstett/PaLunacy81.htm (1050 words) |
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