FACTS AND FANCIES.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 24, Issue 20, 14 March 1913, Page 8

FACTS AND FANCIES.

Brains—Man's and Mommy's.— Until lately it was supposed that the relative weight of the brain, as compared with the body, was greater In man than in any of ths lower animals; bnt alas t for poor human nature, it is now known that some of the smaller South American monkeys have, proportionately, a larger share of brain than our noble selves. On the other band, however, man carries (absolutely) more weight in his cranium than any other breathing creature, except the elephant and the whale As a rule, the human brain increases in gravity —specific gravity, we mean, of course—up to the twentieth or twenty-first year, and from the M age of discretion" till the fortieth year isually remains in statu quo. After forty die organ, in most cases, begins to grow less, 't continues to decrease in volume more rapidly as we grow older, and in those who are unhappy enough to reach the seventh ol " second childishness and mere oblivion,” there is nothing of it left worth mentioning. As a proof that the weight of the encephalic mass determines to a considerable •xtent the amount of intellectual power, it may be stated that when the former is less ban thirty-two ounces—forty nine ounces lor the male, and forty four for the female Wain is the average—idiocy, or partial .mhecility, accompanies the defect. Ihe heaviest brain on record is that of Cuvier, .ne great naturalist, which pulled down nearly sixty-four ounces.

Vaccination Amongst the Kaffirs. —A Taffir provides himself with one or more wives, each of whom insists on having her separate tenements, and though it is stated that the husband maintains strict discipline in his little harem, traits of woman nature asserts themselves with persistent irrepressibility. Here is a dignified-looking savage stalking in front, close at his heels steps his tJi, young wife, with the perfect grace of women accustomed to carry pitchers of ,va;er on their heads, and with all the i. an* hty coquetry of conscious beauty; far behind trudges the poor, old mate of early vt a, s, ugly, bowed, and broken, and seeming mutely to implore forbearance from hei successful rival. The maternal instinct appears to be more strongly developed iti ung the Zulus than is usual with savages. The women toil in the sun or walk for miles with infants carefully slung behind their backs. 1 noticed in one small settlement a multitude of eighty or ninety mothers assembled for the enforced vaccination of children, and although a tax of 6d per head s levied, the natives recognise the blessings of the process with an intelligent gratitude which would put Leicester to shame. The chattering, the petting, and pride, of this i/ack baby show was very amusing ; theit charges were singularly bright and forward, but, characteristically of savages, this precocious development is suddenly arrested at an early age. Would that I could speak their language. It is of Italian harmony, and so easily acquired that most of the English officers have picked up a smattering □fit. Its peculiarity is three sorts of curious clicks uttered with the tongue, and increasing in frequency in proportion to the excitement of the speaker. An angry Kaffir will set to work ticking like " Grandfathers’ clock."

New Readings of Proverbs — "Hunger nas no ears," hence wisdom must give first place to dinner. “ A rolling stone gathers no moss." but it "gets over” a great deal. ■ Every man is the architect of his own fortunes, ’’ which saves all chance of hardfeeling on account of competitive examinaions. "Faithful are the wounds of a irii nd,’ ’ and there are none more punctiliously given, " A miss Isas good as a mile", .in a Mrs. is as good as a league. The .lavement of Hades is relaid the first of every j unary. • Lovegoesout at the window when poverty enters the door," but should poverty K l ire by the door, it is amazing with what celt-: itv love comes scrambling in at the window. " Time and tide wait fornoraan," out when a woman is in the case, even time and tide must wait or go on without her. ■ .Ml men are born free and equal," but unfornmaiely some are born equal to two or three of iheir fellows. "Pride goes before a fall," and the " winter of discontent” conies after.

" A poet is horn not maid,” and yet women persist in writing rhymes. " God helps them that helps themseves," so that drummers at iion-i tables are sure of the assistance ol I tea en, " He that is down need fear no fall,” cause feathers fnll so softly. "Theblindcan■a; le.id the blind," and as justice and love ■'oil; have bandaged eyes, neither can guide ■he oilier. Many men who profess to pass their lives in the pursuit of virtue are apt to •..me care to keep so far behind that there is no danger whatever of their overtaking her. • peaking of proverbs, there is nothing easier handle manufacture of pseudo-proverbs, if one will only give his mind to it, as witness die following, which, if not very good, at least ■erve well enough for illustration: Never put . gift cigar in the mouth. A man may wear epaulets! and be only a drummer in the band. ' is die last step that costs. A man is known by Ihe dog he keeps. Providence always prov ides a shorn lamb for the wind to blow upon. 1 he barber takes even the king by the nose.

Poisoning in India.—Poisoning by powdered glass, although well known in Europe, seems to be comparatively new to India. Properly speaking, it is, of course, not poisoning at all in the pop liar sense of tbs term. Its pathological effects are entirely different from those of any known poison, tnd are so singular as to be almost indescribable. It is worthy of note that all three cases recorded by Dr. Lyon were cases of attempted homicide. In one case a man was seen to throw a packet of pounded glass in a handmill in which rice was being ground; in another pounded glass was found in a loafol bread ; and in the third case a woman made an attempt on the life of her husband by mixing pounded glass with the grain she was grinding for his food. The glass in this instance was of various colours, and had evidently formed a part of the woman's bangles. Pounded glass was also found in one of the arsenic cases. In a good many instances poison of various sorts has been- traced to the village sorcerers who always appearwo nave large quantities on hand. These men deal in charms of innumerable sorts, and their principle stock-in-trade appears to be opium, dhatura, various murcurial com pounds, plumbago root, and powders ol mixed composition— mostly the bases of more or less powerful alkaloids. Through ihese men poison is easily accessible, and mien enough is procured and administered in a form which renders the indemification of the actual poisoner a matter almost 01 impossibility. With all this; however, the poisoner occasionally pursues his dreadful trade with extraordinary recklessness. In one case, seeking to reach the husband of a woman whose paramour he was, he made up ms poison in sweetmeats and before it reached the destination for which it was intended, lour children were made seriously ill, and one died. In another instance, while a giro was preparing a meal for bur pother and sisters, man came up, and while he talked to the girl, deliberately poured a small papet of arsenic Into the food, and strolled quietly iway. All wore ill, and me girl died The man does not seem to have been seen since. These are only a few instances out ol many, but they servo to show In a very startling manner bow uncommon a crime poison ng is, and bow fatal are the facilities for oethe material with which it i> com