DO YOU KNOW?

Evening Star, Issue 20983, 23 December 1931, Page 6

DO YOU KNOW?

MORE REPLIES TO THE CURIOUS (From the ‘Sunday Express.’) Why Do People Become Bald ?—Baldness is caused by starvation of the living cells of the hair. The hair is nourished from the bloodstream. A bad condition of the skin or a tightfitting hat prevents sufficient blood from reaching the roots of the hair, and it decays and dies. Are Twins Always Alike?—Extreme dissimilarity between twins is nearly as common as expectioual likeness. When twins are boy and girl they are seldom closely alike in facial appearance. Do Tomatoes Cause Cancer? —The fallacy that tomatoes cause cancer probably arose from the fact that the increase in the popularity of tomatoes and the discovery of better methods of diagnosing cancer occurred at the same time. The tomato is one of the most health-giving of fruits, and is regularly given to patients in cancer hospitals. Why Does Salt Remove Wine Stains?—Salt placed quickly on a fresh wino stain absorbs tho fluid colouring matter and prevents _ the stain from spreading. The chlorine in salt acts as a bleaching agent also. What Is a Loofah?—The bath loofah is the fibrous tissue of a gourd or cucumber from which the fleshy tissue, which is mainly water, has been removed. Why Do Some People Squint?—A weakness or contraction of some of tho eye muscles prevents the normal movement of the eye in its socket. Are Plants Dangerous in a Sick Room?—Plants in the dark give off a slight amount of harmful carbondioxide, but it is so slight that a candle flame will produce carbon-dioxide far more quickly than a full-sized oak tree. Does Vinegar Make Fat People Thin ?—-Yes; _ by ruining the digestion and preventing the proper absorption of food. Why Do Teeth Decay?—Sound teeth are covered by an enamel which is imipervious to destruction by germs. The inner core of a tooth is soft, and it provides a suitable breeding ground for microbes. If the enamel is broken colonies of microbes establish themin the core and kill tho living tissue of the tooth. Do Rats Desert a Doomed Ship?— In tho days of wooden ships small leaks admitted large quantities of bilge water and flooded the rats’ nests. Naturally they left to seek drier quarters. Why is a Pawnbroker Called Uncle? —The term comes from tho Latin word “ uncus,” a hook on which at one time bankers, who were the original pawnbrokers, hung their pledges. Do Stones Grow?—Stones expand with heat or frost, but being dead matter they do not grow.