MULTUM IN PARVO.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 62

MULTUM IN PARVO.

Yarn from French beans is made in Austria by a new process, and is claimed to be a good substitute for cotton. Flasks set adrift in the sea have been the moans of obtaining: valuable information with regard to the ocean currents. New vehicles are coming on the English roads at the rate of 4000 a week. Said to own a banking account, a yacht, and a motor car, a coloured man who was recently sent to prison in London was drawing the dole. ... „ The first newspaper published in England was in 1619, and was entitled News out of Holland and about the same time appeared the London Weekly Courant. Special kennel accommodation is provided on board many Atlantic liners to carry British dogs being exported to America. This is quite a notable industry. Ten people have already announced their intention of trying to swim the Channel this year. Among them are three American and two French women swimmers. An operation took place at the W estminster Hospital, London, recently in which pieces of bone, flesh, and §kin were transferred from one part of the body to another Queen Elizabeth wore a red wig when she wished to look her best. The ancient Egyptians hated red hair, and the Brahmins were forbidden by law to marry a red-haired woman. German scientists predict that the winters will gradually become warmer and the summers cooler. Y’ordsworth yalked 20 to 30 miles a day v. .:en 60 years of age, and Coleridge could walk 40 miles withouth fatigue -Tinfoil worth £1228 16s 2d was collected in Gieat Britain last year by the Hospital Fund of the Ancient Order of Druids. Some 600,000 children leave British elementary schools every year to enter the labour market. Of these about 65,000 are resident in London. The chances of death by lightning are loss than one in a million. Only 19 per sons were killed by bolts from the clouds in five years. The bombardier beetle discharges a form of bomb when pursued. This changes into a bluish smoke when it comes into contact with the air. Alsatians have become so popular that 5600 of these large dogs are registered in the British Kennel Club books. Six years ago there were onlv 54 registered. The Carnceie Foundation has awarded n»*dals end 5000 francs to the three brave French ooatmen who relieved the stormWind keepers of I.a Veille Lighthouse. Pegs are forbidden as pets to the tenants of council housos in one suburb of Chester. Tenants are also compelled to keep their gardens in perfect order under pain of ejection. Taxes paid in Great Britain average £l9 8s 6d per head of the population. In Australia they amount to £l3 18s 6d, in t.he United States to £l3 9s 6d and in Canada to £l3 4s 6d. * When the new telephone cable between the Japanese ports Aomori and Hakodate stopped working recently, if was found that a marine wGrm had bored a hole in the lead casing and eaten through the wire. ® For five generations a family at Stratton, near Norwich, England, has been keeping natural history records, such as the leafing of trees, and the arrival and departure of birds. The period covered goes back to 1740. Children from their birth should have as mueh sunshine as possible; their nurseries should always catch the morning sun. It helps to keep their cheeks rosy, and their bodies robust and full of vitality. Originating in 1200, the custom of rocking a b<fby boy before the altar has been revived at a children’s service in Blidworth Church. Nottingham England, after the lapse of a century. It symbolises the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple at Jerusalem. —Wandsworth, London’s largest borough, has 37 persons to each one of its 9199 acres. At the other end of the scale is the borough of Holborn with 405 acres, each holding an average of 107 persons. Apropos of the news that Manchester is to have a railway platform 2175 ft long, it is worth noting that Perth (Scotland) already has one of 1750 ft, and York and Edinburgh each have one of nearly 1700 ft. —An unusual occurrence marked the Introduction of the electric light to the Devonshire village of Knowle, where a wooden post, put in the ground to carry the wires, took root and made a vigorous growth of greenery. ‘ —Transmitting photographs long dis tances by telephone has become a regular commercial service in America. A photograph measuring 7in by sin can be sent from New York to San Francisco in seven and a-hslf minutes. A phy-vcian records a case of a woman who suffered from persistent asthma until her pet oanarv died; then the malady disappeared. It is supposed to have been duo t.o tile presence of the bird. Rabbit* to the n-'mber of 40,000 have been caught hr Mr Thomas Wellman during his 50 years’ service as custodian of Maiden Castle, Dorchester England. The PMt» were destroying the hill on which the castle stood when he began his work of extermination Some foods are harmful to certain constitutions Cases have been known of rheumatism, nertlerash, gout, and arthritis being caused hy parents partaking of foods which, to the vast majority of people, are harmless. Hints for smokers recontlv published by a scientist include the following:—A long pipe is letter than a short one. Smokers should nover relight a pipe or cigar, as by so doing they probably absorb more poison than in ten ordinarv smokes. Chewine tobacco and taking snuff are less harmful than smoking. How many people who think that a scientific woman is a twentieth century product! know that Caroline Herschell waa a contury and a half ago Assistant Astronomer Royal? Her brother was the famous astronomer; fast her mother in Hanover would let her have no accomplishment outside household duties, except Knitting. Her father however, jrnve her violin lessons on the sly. Then Ter I mother offered her a home In England, and she name over and became a nuoceasfuJ singer. Taking up astronomy, she l-teams her brother's assistant. sod herself was toeponsible for the discovery of eight comets. VTndoulttedly a very clever woman she rejocted all praise, thinking it might detract from her brother’s Veputation.