Evening star., 1947-03-29
By THE HAsKIN SERVICE.


@. How many persons were killed
or injured in traffic accidents dur
ing the war period. /. e., from Pearl
Harbor day to VI day?"-O. A. S.
A. The National Sarety Council
estimates that during this period
the number of motor vehicle deaths
in the United States was approxi-
mately $4,000, and the total persons
injured in motor vehicle accidents
was about 100000. These totals
include deaths and injuries among
members of the armed forces in this
country. The figure for civilians
only would'be approximately $4,000
killed and 100000 injured.
@. How large was the former Ger
man airship Hindenburg?-C. Mob.
A. The Hindenburg was 811 feet
long; its top speed was "a miles per
hour; its cruising speed was 78. It
was destroyed by fire and explosion
In landing at Lakehurst, New Jer-
sey, May 6, 1887.
@. What is the death rate for
mothers in childbirth?-E. B. O.
A. Census Bureau figures released
on May 10, 1916 gave a maternal
death rate for white mothers of 10
per LOCO live births. For non-white
mothers it was 81.
@. What is the most northerly ice
free port of North America?-S. j.
A. 1t is Valdez in Alaska, on the
north shore of Prince William
Sound. Though situated in latitude
81 OF NJ, the port is open all the
year.
@. Are earthworms found on high
mountains?-T. V.
A. Earthworms are found high up
on mountains as we'll as on plains.
Edward Whymper, the mountaineer,
found them more than $4,000 feet
up in the Andes.
@. What chemicals are obtained
from the Dead Sea in Palestine?
L. L.
A. Potash is obtained and used
for making fertilizer. Modern equip
ment extracts chlorine, sulphuric
acid and caustic soda.
@. How old was George Washing
ton when he had smallpox?-K. w.
A. At the age of 10 he accom-
panied his half-brother Lawrence to
Barbados, where he contracted
smallpox which left his face per-
manently pitted.
@. What material was used to
make the standard kilogram of the
United States?-K. M.
A. Kilogram No. 20, the national
standard of mass, is made of an al
10y containing 80 per cent platinum
and 10 per cent iridium. 1t was fur
nished by the International Bureau
of Weights and Measures under the
treaty of 1875 and is kept at the
National Bureau OF Standards.
When taken back to Paris in 1897
for recomparison with the interna-
tional standard, it was found to have
changed by only one part in So
0G0000 during approximately so
years.
@. Whom does the queen in deck
of playing cards represent?-P. l.. M
A. The queen is said to be draw
ing of Elizabeth of York, the mother
of King Henry VIII of England.
She is generally shown holding
pale rose of York.
@. How did the custom of baking
pies originate?-T. I. B.
A. Pie probably originated in the
old English custom of covering fowls
with dough and baking them with
the feet sticking through the crusts
for easier eating with the fingers.
@. What is a simple way to re-
move discoloration from aluminium
cooking utensils?-L. F.
A. Special cleaners are available
for this purpose. Aluminium that
is slightly discolored may be bright
ened by boiling some weak acid in
it, for instance, water to which some
cream of tartar or vinegar has been
added. The cooking of rhubarb,
tomatoes. tart apples, sour milk or
buttermilk in aluminium saucepans
brightens them without spelling the
foods for eating.
@. In what part of Australia is
Great Britain establishing a rocket
testing range?-R. j. E.
A. The range is in barren Western
Australia. Present plans are to test
the rockets few hundred miles at
first and gradually extend the range
to a distance of 5000 miles and be.
yond, over the Indian Ocean.