OLLA PODRIDA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 897, 10 May 1889, Page 6

OLLA PODRIDA.

FRIDAY IS NOT UNLUCKY.

Friday, February 22, 1732, George Washington was born. Bismarck, Gladstone and Disraeli were born on F.iday. Friday, March 25, 1600, the Hudson river was discovered. Friday. June 13, 1492, Columbus discovered the continent of America. Friday, December 22, 1620, the Pilgrims made the find landing at Plymouth Rock. Friday, Juno 10, 1834, Spurgeon, ihe celebrated English prraaher, was born. Friday, November 28, 1814, the first newspaper printed by staam, the London Time'/, was printid. Friday, October 19, 1781, the surrender of Yorktovrn, the crowning glory cf the American army, occurred. Friday, June 12, 18C2, Alexander von Humboldt, in climbing Chimborazo, reached an altitude of 19,200 feet.

Friday, September 7, 1465, Melendez founded St. Augustine, the oldest town in the United States by more than forty years. Friday, May 14, 1556, Gabriel Fahrenheit, usually regarded as the inventor of ths common mercurial thermometer, was born. Friday, March 5, 1496, Hecry VIII. of England gave to John Cabot his commission which led to the discovery of North America. This is the first American state paper in England. Friday, November 10, 1620, the Mayflower, with the Pilgrims, made the harbour of Provincetown, and on the same day they signed that august compact, the forerunner of our present Constitution. Friday, July 7, 1776, the motion wa3 made in Congress by John Adams, and seconded by Richard Henry Lee, that the United States colonies were, and of right ought to be, free and independent. ALARM FOR LEVEL CROSSINGS. The Germans have introduced on their railways a system of electric bells, intended to give notice at level crossings of the approach of trains. The apparatus is the invention of Messrs Siemens and Halske. When a train is within 1500 yards of the crossing a bell begins to ring violently, and continues to ring until the train has passed the crossing. Thus, unless a person is deaf, there is ample warning of danger. If this bell could only be coupled automatically with locking gates, it would be cu admirable thing to try on English level-crossings, where occasionally a fatality gives a momentary shudder to the community. THE BOOK CAMERA. Kruegeuer’s book camera is a veritable detective. One might be meekly walking along the road, or mixing with the devout going to or coming from church (on a week day, of course), with this innocent-looking,' yet leHly formidable, aeparatus in his hand or under hi 3 arm, and no one would suspect its nature, for to a casual observer it is a book and nothing more. Yet does it really contain, stored away in its interior, no fewer than two dozen small plates, If inches square, each of which can be brought in rotation to the focusing plaue, exposed, deposed into a separate receptacle, and another plate made to take its place, and all this by the simple act of pulling out a small handle, pushing ifc in again, and pulling a string. BELTS AND GIRDLES. The Egyptians, whose history as recorded on their monuments and in their writings is the most ancient of any with which we are acquainted, habitually wore broad belts of one kind or another. These girdles were used by both sexes, and we are informed by Professor Macalister, were worn tight, this being apparently the cause of the remarkably slim waists wbieh are so characteristic a feature of the sculptures and paintings of the ancient Egyptians. The breadth of their girdles varied considerably, but they were usually broad and made of linen. The women appear to have frequently worn two distinct girdles, one high up, inmodiately below the bosom, while the other was placed lower, just above the hip-bones. There is no reason to suppose that the one round the waist proper was used to support any part of the clothing. The Semitic who derived their civilization mainly from the Egyptians, also wore girdles as part of their ordinary costume. With regard to the Jews and Phoenicians, we may remark that girdles, which were worn by both eexes, were recognised as being of benefit in assisting active exertion. As an instance of this, the case of Elijah may be quoted—Second Kings, xviii,, 46—where it ip stated that the prophet ‘girded up his loins’ to run before Ahab. As is mentioned elsewhere in scripture, Elijah wore a leathern girdle, and the words in the original, which have been translated ‘girded up,’ should be rather ‘ tightened up,’ and can be rendered more exactly by the Latin fortiter constrinxit than the usual English translation, which might lead to the erroneous impression that pulling up of the skirts was meant. The girding up of the loins referred to elsewhere in the Old Testament-—f or example, with regard to the ceremonies observed at the feast of the Passover—has the same signification, and expresses also the connection, between such girding and active oxer, tion. The Arab tribes of our day wear girdles from their earliest iufancy, and we are informed by Professor Robertson Smith that in the oase of the Bedouins they are worn tight as a matter of respectability. He fuither tells us that when he himself travelled in an Arab dress he waß instructed to always draw hi 3 girdle tight, a loose girdle being regarded in the East, at the present day,”as characteristic of a dissolute, luxurious person. In the privacy of home life the girdle is either loosened or removed. Many similar examples could be given with regard to other Semitic races. The NationalReview. DURABILITY OF HAIR. The durability of humw hair is a fortunate thing for those whose scalps more or less lack that adornment, says the ungallant (Philadelphia Press. What would be the condition of one-half of our female friends if human hair was as perishable as human flesh What could art or science do toward restoring to woman her chief attraction if human hair were not nearly as imperishable off the human head as on it ? Even death itself, which in time leaves no trace of flesh and bone, seems, under certain conditions, powerless to destroy our hair. Numerous are the instances, not only of the growth of the hair after death, but also of its virtual indestructibility. A very curious example of this was brought before thejpublio notice at the monthly meeting of a society of i antiquaries,

A member produced a photograph of the back hair of a young Roman lady, who, judging from a coin lying under her coffin, must have lived about the time of Constantine. When the coffin was opened it was seen that the body had been buried in gypsum with the head on a pillow. The front part of the skull had given way, so that the back of the head was thrown forward, and on it was a long, folded tress of hair with two jet pins remaining in it. It was of lovely auburn colour and in excellent preservation. Now it is not for one moment insinuated that this interesting tress was such as young ladies of the nineteenth century hang over the back of the bedroom chair. It indisputably belonged to the head of the Roman girl when she was buried. STRENGTH OF BEAMS AND JOISTS. The strength of beams is in direst proportion to their thickness, inversely as their length and as the squares of their depth, thus : A joist four inches thick is twice as strong as a 2-inch joist; if twelve feet in length it has double the strength of one of twenty-four feet, while doubling the depth, as from six to twelve inches, increased the strength four-fold. It is assumed, of course, that all other elements of strength are equal in each instance of comparison. ADVANTAGES OF DEATH BY DECAPITATION. The French medical jurists still recommend death by decapitation. In an elaborate work, entitled, ‘La Mort par la Decapitation,’ ty Dr Paul Loye, the following are given as its advantages : It kills instantly, painlessly and surely—tuto, cito et jucunde. There can be absolutely no return of consciousness after the blow falls. The separation of the head and trunk offers a public proof of death. In all o v her procedures, says Dr Loye, and iu death by electricity in particular, the simulation of death is possible, NATURAL PARAFFINE. Two years ago a wax mine was discovered in the Utah oil fields, and a cartload of the product has just arrived in New Yo:k. It is scientifically called ozokerite, and is a sort of natural paraffine, varying in colour from black to a yellowish tinge. Heretofore about five hundred tons have been sent to America from Austria annually, and it is used for the adulteration of beeswax, the manufacture of caudles and waxed paper, and as an insulator for electric wires. It is found in Utah in veins from five to ten inohes in thickness. A NEW INDUSTRY. A new industry has been successfully started in London—that of storing oxygen from the atmosphere. The process depends upon the properties of oxide of barium, and it is said to be so successful that from 93 to 94 per cent of pure oxygen is obtained. This industry is being applied to the maturing of spirits, and the improvement of beer.