Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 130
! ! 130 produce a third. In other words, this field researches h ow combining different components create s a new substance and accordingly, how its qualities change. Medicine is based up on this science. For example, when Quinine combines with other things, what is its effect? The foundation of medicine and the achiev ements of science depend up on chemistry. Chemistry involves theory and application. One aspect of this subject involves the physical movements of the body, while another aspect relates to human life, or the elements of blood. Additionally, there are two more branches which study botanicals and minerals. 54. Geology: This is also called the study of earth strata and has many branches. One branch of this science is proving quite beneficial to the world, i. e. , the study of earthquakes. Earthquakes cause great devastation in the world. The 1905 earthquake in Punjab was responsible for the loss of nearly twenty thousand people. This field can predict the occurrence of earthquakes, so we can avoid destruction. Within the study of earthquakes, the movement of the earth is also analyzed, which does not refer to ordinary movement s, but rather those movements which are akin to the shuddering of the human body. By studying this data, we can discover the Earth’s extr aordinary movements. In Shimla [city in northern India], there i s an instrument which can determine where an d at what distance an earthquake occurred. Japan has made great progress in this field. This instrument is called a ‘ t elegraph ’ , [ Seismograph ] and an Ahmadi , by the name of Muhammad Yusuf , is also a mem b er of the team, which oversees its use. I have seen this instrument and a s soon as you enter the room , the needle begins to move, detecting the minutest of movement s. The second area of this knowledge is related to the E arth ’s strata. By analyzing the different strata, it determines when they were formed. For example, Europe was formed much later , while Asia was formed [early enough] that it could support human life. This field encompasses the study of mines. When were metals , such as iron , formed and were they al l created from the same matter? Coal and diamond s are the same substance, with the only difference being t hat of age. This difference has made the price of one so expensive, that a few ounces are worth hundreds and