HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16471, 6 July 1921, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

THE TRANSPLANTATION OF BONE. The engraiting of flesh is a surgical feat which has been frequently accomplished with success; but the beet known instance of transplanting a piece of bone from one living person to another was announced at a meeting of the Royal Society, in IS7B. It was then described how a young girl was admitted to the Glasgow Infirmary with, necrosis or mortification of the right humerus or bone of the upper arm. The mortified part was removed from the bc_:e. but even after fifteen months no fresh bone had grown to fill up the gap. This extended to two thirds of the entire shaft, and it became necessary to try and transplant a piece of alien bone into the place. On three several occasions portions of living bone were transplanted into the child’s arm ; the pieces being obtained from osseous wedges which had to be excised from the healthy bones of other patients. The pieces were divided into many small fragments before being applied, and in course of time they united together into a solid rod thereby converting a helpless arm into a useful one. The operation is of great importance as demonstrating that a piece of transplanted bon© is capable of living and growing on another system, to the benefit of the latter. PYROGRAVURE. A process of engraving on wood, ivory, leather, and other materials, by means of a red-hot point v/hich chars the lines, was brought out by a M. Manuel-Perier, of Paris, and various samples of his work were exhibited at an Exhibition of Arts and Sciences there. These comprised knives, panels, umbrella handles, and what not, all cleverly done. The graver consists of a pencil having a curving point or beak of hollow platinum, which is kept white-hot by a supply of mingled air and the vapour of a hydrocarbon such as alcohol, wood spirit, or benzine. It has long been known that such a gaseous mixture if warmed in a platinum tube wall combine with the evolution of heat sufficient to raise the metal to the incandescent state. The fact was utilised by a Dr Pacquelin in performing the actual cautery, and has since b«*?n applied to searing surfaces. Jie apparatus consists of a holder where tho hydrocarbon vapour is mixed with air, and flexible pipes which convey the mixture to the graver. As long as the supply ofgas is maintained the point or the graver is hot. TO KEEP THE HOUSE COOL.

When the weather is close and oppressive, it is usually found that even though the windows be tnrqivn the atmosphere feels only slightly less heavy than before. What is wanted is something to maintain constant circulation of the air, nnd as water-pow*er is largely used, in the country especial y, for several household purposes, there is no reason why the rotary fans of tho workshop should not be introduced into the home. Indeed, they aremade specially to serve this end. Thev ,™ a / be fastened either to the wall or ceding, and driven by a round belt direct trom the water-motor. Iho blades of the fan rnay be covered with paper h muslin of various colours, so that tlie appliance need not form an unsightly object in the dining or other shaft of these lans runs in petal journals, and needs no oiling, which is 1 considerable advantage where they are put over tables. By changing the angle of the blade, the amount of air cab he regulated as required.

THE USE OF FLOWERS. Darwin maintained that the chief £l%^nd f E eross-1 ertilisation of .the plant; but according to a memoir read beroro the French Academy of Sciences, the oill is before everything an agent of evaporation and respiration- It. tivitv in this respect contributes to produce the oxidated compounds that enter into the substance of fruits. Long experiments on tne flowers of the climbing coboea assign to t..,e eorolla a P of evaporation double that of le having an equal surface. THE WHITE RHINOCEROS.

The largest, known mammal except the elephant is the white rhinoceros (Rhinoceros simus). ana . to bo all ~ut extinct. In lotSft Mr * Selous shot a pair on tee river i.e-whoi-whoi, a confluent of the l mmati in Southern Mashunaland, and if there are still one or two survivors likely to be found there or in jNUtabeleland. It differs from the black rhinoceros (R bicornis) in having a square moutn. pointed ears, ana elongated nostrils

THE TOMBSTONE OF TAMERLANE. The tomb of the conqueror Tamerlane at Samarcand is constructed of *iark nephrite, which comes from the nephrite mines of ltaskenaana on tho eastern slope of the Pamir, where it is found on the banks of a river, embedded in white jadite. Both of these stones were quarried for the Chinese at one time, but at the beginning of the last centurv the heir to the throne of China fell ill after sleeping on a nephrite bed, and the mines lost favour, xiYDROr HAN E. Hvdrophane, a singular variety of white opaque opal was discovered ;n Colorado. It absorbs water, and thus becomes transparent, revealing objects placed under it. The stone is said to be identical with the curious ‘* tabasheer,” or organic opal. sometimes found in the joints of the bamboo can.e, where, i - a pearl in the oyster, it is an irregularity, if not altogether a disease *•* OZONISED WATER. It appears from experiments that phosphorescence can be produced by ozonised water. If distilled water be shaken tip up w ith ozonised oxygen and some of it added to about a litre or ordinary river water, a luminous phosphorescence will be observed in a dark room. It is uncertain whether or not the effect is due to --e action of tho ozone or the micro-organisms of tho water. GREEN* ONYX. This pretty mineral is fashionable in the united States for interior decoration. It is beautifully striped and mottled, and varies in colour from white and green to pink and salmon. While susceptible of a *.igh polish, it is, unlike the onyx .n general, capable of being wrought like marble. The. stone is quarried in Grant County, New Mexico. PINE-TREE SOAP. An American inventor brought out a process for making soap from the resinous matter in the neeules of the pine tree. The resin was extracted by means of alkali, and the woody fibre was removed from the product, which, on addition of fat, vielded an ordinary soap containing resinous and fatty acids.

CHILD OF THE DEVIL. One of the best of Sir Harry Lau-

dor’s stories concerns a dour old Scots minister who arrogated to himself the right to correct openlv in the presence of the congregation anv member of his flock whom he deemed to have offended. His pet aversion j.vas seeing people leaving the church bfore his sermon. and one Sundav he preached a lengthv discourse condemiiin" this un- , seemly practice. On the verv next Sunday his daughter, feeling faint, was forced to Quit the kirk aB her father mounted the pulpit steps. Seeing a young girl departing, and enraged at what ho deemed her open flouting of his expressed wishes, ho called out after her “Farewell, child of the devil!” His daughter turned round with a smile. ' Good-b-e father !' she said.