MODERN SCIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 4 (Supplement)

MODERN SCIENCE.

ITEMS OF INTEREST. • GETTING EYES FROM APES. SCIENCE. OF REJUVENATION. Dr. Max Thorek, an eminent American surgeon who is to preside at the International Surgical Congress in Rome, stated the other day that he hopes shortly to announce the successful transplanting of the eyes of apes into blind human beings and the restoration of their sight.

" This has already been done successfully with fish and rats," he said, 'and I am confident that it can be done with human beings and' the eyes of apes. Kesearchea, ate now being made by my staff. •*' The science of rejuvenation is in its infancy,*' he added. " I have, been working ,at it for,, a long time, following up the researches of Dr. Voronoff and Dr. Steinacli. I have carried out most daring experiments with lower 'animals arid apes, and the results have been very successful. " At Rome I shall show the International Congress definite evidence that the science of rejuvenation is establishes and that we are on the way to overcome the terrors of old age. ' ' '

IVORY FROM SKIMMED MILK. Combining beauty with utility, a material is being made from skimmed milk by a* process recently brought to the United States from . England. As it is non-inflammable, odourless, and can be drilled, glued, and dyed, it has a multitude of uses as a substitute for ivory, ebony, amber, tortoisesheli, lx>rn, and other similar products. Besides, it may be used as an almost perfect imitation of many natural products of great price, among them being Chinese jade and lapis lazuli. A brilliant . polish is easily obtained, arid it can be bent, pressed, and. to some extent, moulu-d, or machined. As it is a non-conductor of electricity, it may be used in making decorative radio and lighting fittings. Also it. has been found valuable for ships' cabins, .-handrails, automobile fixtures, and in the making of beads, buckles, buttons, jewellery, fancy ornaments, cigaretteholders, combs, brushes, carriage handles, parts of furniture, pcncils and -penholders, organ stops, and piano keys. .. , :■

THE 44 HUSH-A-PHONE." ! • ' A device that gives a desk telephone the same privacy as -a silence-box is making its appearance in London offices. It is only two months since the first of these a-phones; as they are called, arrived from America, and already more than 2000 have been installed in London. The hush-a-phone consists of an oblong aluminium box with curved sides. At either end is a sound absorption unit, and in the middle is an aperture into which the speaker planes his lips. Its form is based on acoustical principles. It snans on to the telephone around the mouthpiece, and when not wanted can be taken off as quickly. Anyone using the hush-a-phone can speak how. or what he. likes without any bystander hearing anything but a low, indistinguishable murmur. This makes it particularly useful for doctors, lawyers, hank managers, and . other professional linen, who often have occasion to wish to. speak of their clients .over the phone in their presence. Tt ensures office quiet, too, where h number of telephones are installed- On long-distance calls it has the effect of minimising the external sound at the transmission end. Some wonderful results have been obtained during experimental chats between New York and San Francisco.

RESPIRATORS FOR RAILWAY MEN. 1 A new form of respirator has been evolved by' the United States Bureau of Mines. It is quite a small thing, fitted with a rubber mouthpiece and measuring about 3in. by lAin. by Sin. The mouthpiece is gripped by teetli and when not in use the annliance ran be nut in the pocket, i The canister normally contains activated charcoal, soda, and lime mixture. A nose clip is provided so that in rfchint-nrv in'ialp ,: on thro";;h the nostrils is prevented. This .respirator was do signed to meet the need for relief to the men on large locomotives hauling heavy trains on up-grades throngh long tunnels 111 such work cpnlfl mi nation of the atmosphere is more troublesome than actual noison, the percent.'!/.? of carbon monox ide present being ns"'>lly relatively low, unless the engine stalls. * The respirators have been tested in actual work in theS United States, and are said to popular where they have # tried. The condi tions the nien experience are in many cases most trvinrr. The locomotives are verv nowerfi'l Often there are three »<• a train, moving very s'mvlv and pulling so as to lift the Pre right <-ff the grate Temperature* as hi"h t>«J62 deg. F_ have been measured for the tunnel rases entering the locomotive cab. , ' Added to this beat is great humidity and the presence of smoke, and of irritants such as sulphur dioxide. From this ro'me idea of the discomfort may be, obtnine/', . though it >5 difficult : to. realise if without actual experience. Tbes-> small regrirators have nil effective life of two or three months, used intermittently.. As explained they are serviceable in tunnels under normal circumstances, but do pot protect- against unusual conditions or in the case of a stop page, when the percentage :.>f carbon monoxide may rise to a dangerous figure There .have/.of.^course,. been several. cases of Co poisoning under such conditions, but the occurrences are rare and are difficult to guard against. ; ' j .