Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-27
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answer did come found that the request
and the answer were correct as far as they
went. but that had not asked as much
Information 1 required. Then 1 filed
another request, and got the information
in exactly two days."
x +
Some months since 1 gave expression to
the fact, not generally KNOWN" remarked
a weil-known physician to Star reporter.
based on the experience of the late Prof.
Gross of Philadelphia, that the colored
race. at least the American negro seldom
il ever sneezed. The subject has since been
pretty thoroughly discussed in southern
newspapers and in several medical jour-
mails. They all concur with me that sneez-
ing Is d very rare occurrence among those
indicated.
Il have discussed the matter rather free
ly with a number of colored persons and
have asked them to give me the results of
their observation and experience. I find
that they, too, report the fact as 1 stated.
Some have gone further than l into the
subject of sneezing in general, and have
been much interested In the outcome of the
discussion. Among the superstitious, sneez-
ing is regarded as supernatural, for the
reason that it is sudden, unaccountable,
uncomfortable, and they consider 1t ON
nous. In this l do not agree with them,
for there are natural reasons for every
sneeze there is given. though they may
dfffer each time. 1 find, however, that, as
in nearly all things else. the conditions
which cause some to sneeze actually stop
others from doing SO. The old-fashioned
nurses, the aunties of the south, as well as
those of Europe, would not think they had
done their duty when they hear an infant
or child sneeze unless they said Bless the
child or God bless you, as the Greek
nurses of two thousand years ago were in
the habit of saying Zeus protect thee.
Among German nurses, especially in Ger
many, many of them make the sign of the
cross every time they hear a sneeze, and
follow it with the ejaculation. Gesaudheit!
Among German students a SneeZe is nearly
always followed by the Latin word 'Prosit,
meaning May it help YOU or 1T may help
you, and every one within hearing of the
sneeze joins in it. Another peculiar thing
in connection with the original proposition,
that sneezing is very rare among colored
people, is the fact that the more removed
they are from the native stock of full blood
the more sensitive they are to the condi-
tons which produce the sneeze. This fact
remains, however. that the full-blooded ne
gro rarely II ever Sneezes, while all other
races do SO very frequently
x x X
'1t is now within a few days of two
months, the exact date being September
%. since the burning of the cable power
house." said a resident of the locality to a
Star porter, land the enormous quantity
of coal stored in the southeastern end of
that building is burning as brightly and
apparently as actively as it was the morn
ing after the fire. There were four hun
dred tons of coal, soft Cumberland COAL
stored In the bunkers. which was valued at
nearly $1,000. and actually cost the cable
company more than that to place it there
For several days the fire companies poured
continuous stream of water on the COAL
the only effect of which was to make 1t
burn brighter and more actively. Finding
that water only increased the fire which
was consuming the coal, it was turned off
and an effort made to smother 1t by q
great quantity of CLAY. This retarded the
burning somewhat, but only for week or
80. for after that it seemed to burn as live
ly as before the clay was put on it. 1t
seems pity that such quantity of coal
could not be saved, but in the Judgment of
those interested there was no way Of saw
ing 1t. 1t was thought that If an effort
was made to open up the coal the intro
GCction OF the air which would necessarily
enter would have the effect of starting the
whole mass into a blaze. From the present
appearance of the pile 1t looks as If the
nre Will keep up for couple of weeks
yet. The almost ten days rain of several
weeks since, instead of extinguishine
seemed only to add fuel to the f1ames.'
4
The salutation. How do you do?'" ex-
planned a State Department linguist to a
Star reporter. ''is general throughout civilf-
zation. though Americans boil it down more
than any other people in their one word
'howde" The Frenchman, to express the
same idea. has to use How do you carry
yourself? The German says; that is, he
uses German words which mean, How
does 1t go to your Likewise the Spanish
Como esta usted?' which means How do
you stand? The Chinaman, when he wants
to say How do you do? uses words which
mean How do you run along today? The
Italian Is almost in the same fix, while the
Arab uses words which mean Do you stand
own words. of course, 'How's your good
health now? and the Indian goes a step
further and says, You look well, do you
feel so? The Americans 'howde' is as ex-
pi essive as any of the others, as well as
the briefest."