Brain Waves

The finance committee of Chicago's City Council faced a grave crisis. The municipal court's psychiatric institute had sent in a request for a $2,300 appropriation.

First Alderman: What do they want with it?

Second Alderman: They want to buy--a--an--that is~xenceph~no, it's an electro-

Third Alderman: An electric fan, maybe?

Second Alderman (exhibiting his notes): No, they want this thing here.

Fourth Alderman: Somebody look in the dictionary.

Fifth Alderman: I did. Even Webster doesn't know what it means.

Second Alderman: Well, they want it anyway. It does something about brains.

First Alderman: And sure we could use that around here.

Third Alderman: On what?

Second Alderman: Never mind. Motion carried. Have the minutes show we're going to buy that thing. Don't bother to have the minutes show what it is.

The "thing": an electroencephalograph, an instrument used to record human brain waves.

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