Evening star., 1923-10-02
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN

keep out the corrosion which causes
| the trouble.
| Q. What is the view of scientific
! men as TO the origin of oil?--F. j. d.
| A. The generally accepted theory
! of the origin of petroleum is that IL
| comes from the decomposition of the
| remains of myriads of minute forms
| of animal life that existed ages ago.
| The oil contained in these microscop
| ic bodies forms petroleisIu>
| Q. Will tho varnish on an expensive
piano check?-A. Z.
| A. The varnish on all pianos checks,
but usually need give the owner no
| concern. The checking of yarnish on
| a wood surface cannot be prevented.
! With q reasonable degree of care. the
| appearance OF a piano is not impair
| ed. since the lines caused by check
| ing are seen only under close inspec
! tion.
Q. What is meant by tho "roaring
| forties"?--H. Y
| A. This is a sailors term for the
seas between 40 degrees and so de-
| grees north and south of the equator.
1t is applied particularly to the part
the forties, because it is a stormy
region.
| Q. Who said that virtues are only
l :
| A. In the Maxims of La Rochefou
! cauld, his moral philosophy is sum
4 med up in the maxim that stands
as the epigraph at the head of the
! collection, Our virtues are most IRE
quently but vices disguised"
@. Where was the largest train
! ing camp during the war?-O. L. F.
A. Camp Grant, at Rockford, Ill.
was the largest camp. Tho maximum
no Hi4 nf On rNT
Camp Lee, at Petersburg. Va. was the
| next largest, with a maximum capaci-
! ty of $685..
O. Is mercury found in the form In
| which it is used?-A. X.
A. Mercury occurs native In the
metallic form, but by far the Larger
part of it is obtained by dtstiilins
the native sulphide. cinnaoar. IN
current of air so regulated as TO ourn
the sulphur of the sulphide while
| leaving the mercury in the metallic
state.
o, Is IL true that cyclones have
driven straws into wood?-R. L. B.
A. Willis Luther Moore in writing
of the unmeasurable speed OF rota<
| ton tornadoes says that he himselt
has seen wheat straws that were shot
| by the wind OF a tornado one-half
| inch into the tough body OF an OAK
tree, and q two-by-four pine scantling
Idrfven through nVe-elgntnS OIL di AHSh
of solid iron.
| O. Where was the first Methodist
church established in this country
\ L. p.
| A. Immigrants from ireland and
| England brought Methodism to the
| United States. One group headed BY
Philip Embury formed what was call
ed the First Methodist Society. IN
| America, in New York, in 1766. ABOUT
| the same time Robert Strawbridge
| began to preach and form societies
| in Frederick county, Nd. Some claim
] that the Maryland beginning was pri-
or to that of New York. The matter
| is in controversy.
@. What was the first medical mag
| azine in the United States?-G. c. +.
A. The Medical Repository, guar,
| terly, was the first medical 1ourna!
published in America 1t was founded
| in 1897 in New York under the edi-
| torship of Samuel L. Mitchell, EDWARD
Miller and EIihu Smith.
(The Stcr Information Bureau,
! Frederic J. Hdskin, director, 1920
! North Capitol street, tctH GnsUe1
! uo1sr question: State It plainly and
| 6rieffy and incIose cents IN stamps
! for return postGge)