ASK THE WITHCH DOCTOR

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

ASK THE WITHCH DOCTOR

Tinker wants to know: (a) Who invented hockey?- (b) What was the name of the (lrst boat to sail round the world? —(a) Modern hockey is a form of that game played in different times and in different countries under such varied names at hurley, shUHy, handy, hoquet, and caman. Hocniet was the French name, and the French claim hockey's nativity. However, what little research does discover seems to point all in the one way—to Ireland being the native land of hockey. Hurley (one of the Irish names for the game) was played as far back as the second century. The source of the earliest record of hurley is the will of the Irish Cathair Moir, first King: of Ireland, who died A.D. as. (b) In 1519 the Vittoria, under the command of Magellan, who was Killed at the Philippine* Islandg, was the lirst ship to sail round the world. The journey was completed under the command of Juan Sebastian del Gano. Originally 'there were live ships in the expedition, but the Vittoria was the only one to complete the journey. Harold's queries are: (a) How do birds build their nests? (t>) How did Canada get its name?—-(a).-Birds' nests vary so greatly in their structure that it is impossible' to say in a few words how birds set about the building: of their nests. Speaking very broadly, we could say that birds make a collection of leaves, moss, straw, wool, feathers, clay, etc., and arrange them to make the type of nest in which they live, (b) The derivation of the name Canada is obscure, but it is believed to have had its origin in an Indian word Kannatha, meaning" a village 'or collection of huts. The snpposition is that Jacques Cartier, hearing the term used by Indians in connection with their settlement, applied it to the whole of the country. A Deo Lover wants a cure for distemper.—Careful nursing under the direction or a reputable veterinary surgeon is the only cure I can recommend for distemper, ff the disease is vigorously combated in the early stages and the doy is constitutionally sound it is reasonable to hope for s recovery.

wmr Holidaymakei , would like to know or any historic places about Napier.—Cape Kidnappers is one place or historic interest. It will be worth your while to pay a visit to the Bluff Jlils Hospital, from the grounds or which you can obtain a beautiful view. Beauty Seeker would like to know: (a) How to become suntanned without freckling,, (b) How to reduce thick ankles and fat legs.— (a) Some skins freckle readily, and it is almost impossible for them to be exposed to the sun without freckling-. The freckles, however, can be removed with an infusion of the root of the lily of the valley. (b) Gymnastic exercises usually reduce thick ankles, and fat legs caused by superfluous tissue, but ir thick ankles are due to large bones it is impossible to make them thin. Pussy asks: (a) How old should kittens be before they leave the mother cat? (b) How old shouM they, be when they drink milk by themselves?—(a) At least six Aveeks. (b) Three weeks to a month. Starlight inquires: (a) Why do the stars shine at night? (b) Why do we cry?—(a) Stars are burning bodies like our sun, but because they are ever so much further away from us than the sun their light is only very weak. Because the planets reflect light to us they appear to shine. Viewed from the bottom of a deep well, the stars are seen even in day time, (b) A section of the lower part of the brain which controls the tear glands replies to a hurt by making us want to cry. There is, however, another section of the brain which, if fully and strongly developed, can control the tear gland. It is because this second part of the brain is more highly developed in the adult than in a child that a grown-up cries but little, whilst a child cries quite a lot. Every thought we have causes the muscular and nervous part of the body to react in some way. Such a word as "fright" brings a reaction, ever so slight, or tenseness of the body. If all forms of reaction are prevented, then the brain has a power of sidetracking to get some form of reaction, and it calls on the tear or some other glands to react. An example: You tease your friend, and really he at once wants to react by hitting you to prevent you continuing. Hβ withholds and suffers more. Tlie sidetracking takes place in the form of a flood of tears. Have you ever noticed that the person teasing at once ceases, or if be does not another set of glands which produce real anger, acts—in his victim—and then there is a fight.