Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-23

parent unconsciousness of their attitude,
out suddenly he stopped. After an in
stant's pause he leaned forward his face
| taking on charming and characteristic
ally quizzical expression. and said:
| Gentlemen. / must ask that you be
| patient and bear with me few moments
longer: 1 still have a few more pearls to
cast
| ''One of the most interesting sides OF
my kind of work. said a young physo-
logical chemist of Washington. lis TO
come upon the many instances which oc-
cur where scientific investigation proves
up to the hlt some popular view that is
expressed in a proverb or century-old
story.
| Take for instance. that saving which
one often hears-especially if one has
| lived much in boarding houses and res
| taurants-I mean the saying that such
| and such piece of meat is as tough as
| boot leather or. as tough IS an old
| boot
Now. although the comparison does
not pretend to be scientific. it is far from
| being incorrect. as an elaborate investiga-
! ton made by Metchinkoff. the head of the
Pasteur Institute. in Paris. has recently
shown. and which my own experience
verifies.
"As a matter of fact much meat flesh
that is used has very real affinity to
shoe leather. not only in being hard and
| tough, but actually in its very substance.
Boot leather is made from the hide of
animals. as we all know-that is to say,
| It is made of very resisting material,
which scientists term connective tissue.
| This consists of a very dense mass of
fiber mingled with living elements. called
| connective tissue cells This tissue is
very durable. and hence it is employed
| for boots and shoes.
| In the case of old animals, their organs
and, to a lesser degree. their flesh
| becomes mingled with connective tissue
which renders the flesh tough and UNI
palatable when it gets into the hands OF
| cooks or housewiv Practically, it is as
| tough as old shoe leather" -
X TX x x ;:
'The quality of the food served the en-
| listed men Of the navy" said Surgeon
| General Rixey in a recent conversation
about the navy ration, SIS excellent. Its
variety and preparation are well looked
after, and very few complaints are heard
| from any quarter The new ration was
| first served in July last, and since that
time there has been, if possible, less COM
| plant than before.
| "One has but to examine the statis-
| teal report OF >any naval vessel to as
certain the extremely small number of
digestive disorders with which the crew
| is afflicted, and the numerous speci-
mems OF strong hearty men. with clear
| skin and eyes, with stable or increasing
body weight, all give evidence of the most
practical kird that the nutritive value of
| the navy ration is of the highest order.
| Much depends upon the commissary stew
ard. His efforts to have the food served
hot and carefully. and his willingness
to act upon suggestions as to variety
all tend TO cause satisfaction among the
crew. and satisfaction with the food is as
good as a secondary appetite, increasing
the power of digestion"
| x y 4 X :.
| 'The imminent danger" says Surgeon
General Rixey, "of the serious, and in a
measure preventable accident. rupture of
| the eardrums, demands consideration in
preparation for target practice or battle,
and every man should be compelled to
employ pledgets of cotton or a worthy
substitute for filling the auditory orifices.
The necessity of compulsion in matter
| SO rational may be surprising, but the
| fact is neither officers nor men take kindly
| to the use of such artificial protection,
| though the practice is more universal than
it was few years ago. Many of the gun
| crews in the navy suffer from deafness of
variable duration after target practice,
and in a severe naval action it is prob
able that the impact of suddenly COM
| pressed air or repeated violent air vibra-
lions consequent upon big-gun fire and
| the bursting of the enemys shells would
| produce not only deafness Temporary or
permanently among the personnel of the
ships. but also a dazed mental condition.
which is d recognized result. that would
have the effect of physical disablement
| There is u difference in the effects of
mere noise per Sc, and the shock of con
cussion, for it is said that when it is
expected the ear marvelously accommo-
dates itself in advance, and the concus-
| sion is more or less discounted but when
the ear or brain is not forewarned the
danger of serious and extensive damage
is more imminent. For example expert
ence has shown that men are never sc
much affected by their own guns as by
a gun fired suddenly without their knowl-
edge. The time has come when a care
less disregard Of the effects of gun fire
upon the hearing and upon the nervous
system, through the ear, should be con-
demned by the authorities There is ne
cure for established gun deafness. and
no power on earth can restore shattered
auditory nerve. Prevention can alone
deal with it, and the medical bureau hopes
that some action may be taken by the
Navy Department. The bureau has beer
making some study of the various ex.
pedients and devices suggested for such
protection with a view, ultimately. of in
dicating those deserving recognition art
from among which choice may be made
Dur the adoption OF any one 10 the entire
exclusion of others within the range of eff
cheney is neither necessary nor desirable
Action is needed only TO the end thai
some efficient protection be made obliga
tory among those exposed to the concus.
sion of gun fire or shell explosion, anC
the bureau has recommended a genera
order to that effect"
There are chains which, when one look
at them. seem made O. gold when on.
wears them of lead. and when ona trie
to break them. of steel.--Transated fol