Evening star., 1937-11-08
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

A reader can get the dnsDer to any
question OF fact BY ,oritino The Epening
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Hdsktn, Director, Washington, ID. C.
Please ir1close stamp for reply.
@. How long will motion picture flm
last?-A. G.
A. No definite information concerning
the durability of motion picture films
can be given. Some of the earliest films
manufactured nearly a half century ago
were made of cellulose nitrate and are
still good, while others only a few years
old have deteriorated. The keeping quail
ity of nitrate film is almost entirely q
matter of careful washing after proc
essing and storage in cans at relatively
low temperature and humidity. It seems
that safety film (cellulose acetate) is
more stable, or at least, If there is any
decomposition. it works very little haz-
ard. Such films are brittle when dry,
but ready recover flexibility when
humidified.
@. How far has Bobby Jones driven a
golf ball?-R. M K.
drive he has made was about $50 yards.
@. What causes birds to migrateP-
A. T.
A. Evidently the change of season is
a contributing cause. but the reasons
and the sense of direction shown by
migrating animals are among the baf-
fling problems of science.
@. What is the name applied to hy-
perSensitivity to the rays of the sum-
G. A. B.
A. The name applied to hypersensi-
tivity to light is photophobia. Inability
to tolerate light is the leading symptom
This is associated with vitamin def
cheney, especially with deficiency of
vitamin A. 1t may also be congenital,
due to lack of pigmentation in the eye
and in the skin.
@. What is United States assay
office?-D. N.
A. 1t is a bureau connected with the
United States Mint, in which the weight
and flneness of metals used in the COIN
ing of money are tested and certified to.
@. Should fingerprints of the fingers on
a hand be taken together or separately?
w. S.
A. How to Take Fngerprints," issued
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
says Finger impressions should be
taken on 8-inch by 8-inch cards, for
this size has been generally adopted
because Of the facility of filing and the
distributing of a uniform medium of
exchange. There are two types of i'm
pressions that are involved in taking
f1ngerprints In the first the prints are
taken individually of the thumb, index,
middle, ring and little fingers of each
hand, in order named, and are known as
rolled Impressions In the other type
the impressions are taken by stimuli
taneously printing all the fingers of each
hand. Those are called plain impress
sions' and are used as check upon the
sequence of rolled impressions.
c. Could any one compete in the early
Olympic games held in Greece?-W.
R. G.
A. The games were national in spirit
and only Greeks mot foreigners or
slaves could compete. Dishonored per-
SOllS we're DdITeQ.
G. What is an indult?-W. IF.
A. 1t is papal license, as when the
Pope authorizes the bishop to grant GER
tain relaxations during the Lenten fast
required by physical necessity.
@. Where are the Isles of Shoals?-
w. B.
A. This is a group of eight barren
islands in the Atlantic Ocean, 10 miles
southeast of Portsmouth, N. H. The
three principal islands are Appledore.
Star and White.
@. Who was Conidr Stephen Decatur's
opponent in the duel in which Decatur
lost his life?-C. T.
A. Commodore James Barron. Deca-
tur was but Al years old when he was
killed in this duel
@. Please give the names of the mem
bers of the Federal Communications
Commission.-J. L.
A. The members are as follows: Chair
man, Frank R. McNinch; Judge E. o.
Sykes, Paul A. Walker, T. A. M. Craven,
Thad H. Brown, Norman S. Case and
George H. Payne.
@. For whom is Reno, New, named7-
FL.
A. The city is named for Gen. Jesse
Lee Reno. who commanded the 9th
Corps at the Battle of Bull Run and at
Chantillv