HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16908, 6 December 1922, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. ELECTRIC SHOCKS FOR HEARTS. One of the most remarkable of recent medical inventions is the static wave device. Its purpose is to regulate the beating of the heart, should it be too fast or too slow. The patient sits in an insulated chair connected with a machine which passes* an electrical client through the body Outside the machine is a revolving ball, fixed to the end of a metal rod. Every time this ball passes another stationary ball electricity is discharged from th© body, causing the muscles to relax. If the heart should be beating seventy-four times a minute, but- is six beats" fast, the revolving ball is timed to go round at seventy-four revolutions a' minute, and the heart is thus slowed down its correct time. In the same way the . heart can be quickened. This wonder fu! machine was exhibited at a recent Medical Exhibition in London. The rorce of the current is such that a pe: son putting his hand within six inches of the chair receives quite a poweriiJ shock.

CLOCK MADE OF GLASS. fr A® ohemia s S la « polisher has perfc imed a wonderful feat of pbinstaki ingenuity. lie has constructed a cio -. sprints W,t l V l6 exce P tio » of t 1,,. -pnngs is made entirely of glass Tn . ordmarv'o'r, a “ d piUars of thls «trarth i! P ‘ eCe are boltcd together the running gear. All the parts Vn. ”etd ! l,e , a T ase the metal parts of other clocks of tl.same size. The teeth of the ens wheel tho ] U ] minut « exactness O n i.. e tln o’".?" " bC *! he *™ r anrf thickor.liner ' t I w f lld I > m the case of an .s’woui^ of o-lass Mont- tll 1S l,lld maria made overand o7er agn’in-'ome ,\° ten ns forty times—before a clock that would go and keep time was produced “ FIT FOR HEROES ” British amendments to King's RcguPn ’ Vld r for the -keeping n f an employment sheet for evert soldier in. wIIT , !i ent °b h 'f condl,et ® heet (which will he confined to military matters the empiovment . sheet is to form a I f,i V ' ? show the capabilities and qualifications of a soldier for ern nio m n f iri ! ,ifc - th he made u» r J 1 * *' V . :in L whenever a soldier is transferred to another unit This sum unde 1S i ? dic ? t « fhe soldier's merits under such heads ts industry, energy cleanliness. intelligence, trustworthy ness, initiative, self-reliance, capacity fnr continuous hard work, educations, sta hoard. Special mention will be made of any occupation likely to be of use to the soldier in civil fe. A COIN’S NTCKXAME ft is not generally known how tit, sixpence came to be called, in ooilo quia, language, a “ tanner.” When Cromwell was Lori.' Protector. Thoma*. Simon engraved the dies from whic i trie rarest and most beautiful sixpences were coined. These were copied—as were other coins of different values bv ai. engraver named J. S. Tanner. At this time the authorised Bible was fairly fresh in the minds of the public, and so it is believed that tins new coinage was coupled, by coincidence. th ° words 111 the “Simon the Tanner.” GAMBLING IN CHURCH. Probably the only church in the world whore gambling is a recognised at lveS ’- in Huntingdon • T y. ear Slx boys and six gills or the neighbourhood are chosen by the vicar to cast lots for six Bible.-., provided out of rhe interest from a sum m °u e * V tor the purpose nearlv three hundred years ago. The originator this strange custom was a certain Dr Robert Wilde, who died in 1678 and bequeathed £SO to be invested in a piece of ground, which is still known a.s Bible Orchard. The rent obtained for tiie plot- is employed in purchasing the thbles. winch must not cost more than <s hd each. Originally dice were thrown on the communion table in accordance with the terms of the will, but the practice was discontinued some years ago. and now-the dice are thrown on a table erected at the chancel steps. The legacy also provides for the payment of 10s yeariy to the vicar for preaching a sermon on the occasion of the raffle. 81-LIXGUAL. A school story is told by Mr Maurice Leonard •fin ks, the new head-master of -Mill Hill Sa hoc 1. of a schoolboy who was visited mu* day by a rich uncle, a self-made man whose early education had been ol th** scantiest. “ And what are you studying now, my lad?” he inquired ot his nephew. “Oh,” replied the hoy, “the usual sort of ‘tosh:’ r vouch and be tin and Euclid.” “Ah. indeed! said hi* uncle, trying to look wise. “ Now tell me. what is the trench for ‘good night s ’”. “Bon soir.” answered the "boy. “Right! Novy tell me u hat is the Euclid, for * good morning?’ ” • BAGATELLE GOLF. Perhaps you may. or may not. have heard this golfing story. It concerns two players who were discussing the respective merits of a nine-hole course and an eighteen-hole course, both being close together on the same links. “ I always think/’ commented one to the other. “ that the little nine-hole course is far more difficult than the eighteen-hole one.’’ “Well, one would expect it to he so.” exclaimed a, ladv friend, who did not play golf. “Why?” asked the tw> men. “Why. it is obviously easier to get a little ball into one of the holes when there arc eighteen: it would be twice as hard when there are only nine!” WORRIED A JOCKEY, lien the horses were lined up for the Shipston Plato at Warwick Chuck apennv grabbed the right arm of Victor Smyth, a jockev. The starter and Cliuckapenny’s jockev lashed the* hors with their whips M ith all their might hut could not make it let go. Chuck apenny pulled savagely at Smyth, and eventually dragged him to the ground worrying his right arm and left wrist He was badly mauled., WHERF, WOMEN WEAR TROUSERS. In Albania women wear trousers in accordance with —n old custom. An Albanian woman takes pride in wearing trousers as voluminous as possible, and ai a result the garments do not in the least resemble the ordinary masculine attire with which we assoc brio tho word, but appear tremendous!v full, heavy skirts. The richer the woman, the more extensive are the trousers, and it is not at all uncommon to see women wearing trouser* tbat are made of ninety feet or more of cloth. When an Albanian girl R to be. married all ber relatives cOn tribute to provide her with trousers as well as» with the full costume of an Albanian woman, including cap*? adorn el with gold and pearls. The coni plete dress weighs more than sixt/ pounds.