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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1950-2-8, Page 7Secrets of Choosing A Baby's Sex In fifty years time young couples may be able to arrange the sex of their children. ))r. Van Dorp Van Vlief, the distinguished Dutch biolo- gist, says that the results of his i'eseareh seem to favour this possi- bility. Attempts to solve the problem of sex determination have been going on for years. Scientists generals;• attach little importance to the ideas co far put forward, but not long ago a woman doctor living in Toulouse was certain she had discovered the secret. Drink For A Boy "If you want your child to be a girl, take as little exercise as pos- sible, se told her patients. "Eat plenty of floury vegetables, maca- roni and cakes, and drink no more than is necessary to satisfy your thirst." She gave advice which was the exact opposite to those who desired a boy. They were urged to indulge in athletics for six months, keep io a slimming diet and drink copi- ously. In eithe" case expectant mothers were recommended to practice auto- suggestion. They were told to say to themselves on rising and retiring, and at frequent intervals throughout the day, "It will be a boy" or "It will be girl," She declared that this method was very popular among the Japanese and proved successful in 90 cases out of a 100. The odds on a baby being born a boy have been computed at about 15 to 14, But this does not apply to individual families. A well-known titled lady gave birth to .12 daugh- ters before she had a son. Her eldest daughter married, and she, too, bore four daughters, followed cases have Manysimilar by a son. been recorded. Contrary to the belief of the woman doctor of Toulouse, scien- tists generally aver that the sex of a baby is dependent entirely on the father. Sceptics cite cases like that of the Dutch Royal Family, whose daughters produce girls only, but they do no disprove the commonly - accepted belief. Is it possible to change a child's sex after birth? Many people have asked this question, having heard of such well- known cases as that of the cham-ss, pion Englishwoman athlete who, in 1936, became a man and married a girl friend. Surely, they say, what happened with one can happen with another; and, indeed, biologists are familiar with many similar cases. The fact is , however, that none of these people was ever really a woman. Occassionally a child is born who looks like a girl, but is actually a boy, though his true sex may not be suspected until he approaches adolescence, or even later. The final "change -over" is effected by a slight operation; but nobody can change a person's real' sex. More rarely, a "boy" becomes a girl: In 1937 it was reported that a youth in Scranton Prison, U.S.A., was slowly changing into a girl. Desperately anxious to retain his stale status, the prisoner begged the doctors to help him, but was told that they could do nothing. Rival For Diamonds Dazzling new man-made gem- stones, which have five' time more "fire" than a diamond and are only a fraction of the cost are now being manufactured. No natural stones have been discovered with • so much sparkle. An American firm discovered this new stone, rutile (pronounced root -isle), when experimenting with metals, and it may in a few years become as familiar as diamond, sapphire and ruby are today. Only experts can tell the new stone from real Cape diamond. News has just come through from Czechoslovakia that the secret of manufacture has been discovered there as well. Raw material of this surprising by-product of metallurgical re- search is titanium, discovered near- ly 160 years ago by a British clergy- man. The company making the gem ,is hoping to find a cheap way of producing a titanium metal which would be light, strong and stainless and would have wide in- dustrial and domestic uses. The gemstone material is appar- ently 'grown" from powdered metal in the heart of a blowpipe flare, like synthetic sapphires and rubies, -and can be produced in quantity. Rutile is also found in its natural state but is. not used as such in jewellery. Mined in France, U.S,A., Russia, and several other countries, the nat- ural stone • is reddish to brown - black. The clear, fiery man-made gent is therefore a distinct improve- ment on nature's handiwork. The only disadvantage of syn- thetic rutile for jewellery is that it is not as hard as diamond, which being the hardest known substance of any kind, will last indefinitely without showing any signs of wear, Rutile loses its polish after some years of wear. Ilut it can be re. polished. Conversation piece} "I wouldn't marry just to get a husband—would rots?" "I don't know,I suppose as good e way es any." 7 . i11�11 1YIlt4'l.+?I:s TABLE TALKS ame Andreas "What, for instance??" was the nut- ting reply a distinguished author gave to a notoriously ignorant end pushful movie producer wlto inter- rupted the filming of a very delicate scene with the remark, "Right here, buddy, is the spot fbr some smart crack; something really snappy." And "what, for instance?" is the reaction, sometimes spoken and sometimes only thought, of a whole lot of folks, especially those of the younger generation, when they hear us oldsters deplore their drinking habits, and suggest that they should indulge in beverages a little more healthful, and less fraught with dan- gerous possibilities. All of which is just my fumbling and roundabout way of breaking forth with some helpful recipes for a few steaming hot, spicy drinks. Each is easy to make, or comparatively so. Fon start oft with a base of fruit juice, milk, coffee or tea; then add good -to -eat garnishes and tasty spices to change those us- ual drinks into real chill -killers and crowd-pleasers. The first is for FRUIT TODDY Serves 6 to 8 Simmer slowly 8 minutes: 2 cups apple cider or apple juice 21/4 cups brown sugar 2 2 -inch sticks of cinnamon 6 whole cloves teaspoon salt. Vs teaspoon mace Combine and heat while cider sim- mers: 1% cups orange juice s/a cup lemon juice % cup pineapple juice (optional) Strain cider mixture: add fruit jukes. Pour into large cups; serve piping hot. Garnish with orange or lemon slices. * * * Next conies one that's highly re- commended for children—and their parents. It'd a smooth, rich bever- age—delicious, nutritious, and—well the only other rhyming word can think of is 'ambitious" but I guess that wouldn't exactly fit. CHOCOLATE EGGNOG Heat together: 6 cups milk 6 tablespoons chocolate Combine: 3 eggs well beaten 3 tablespoons cold water 3 tablespoons sugar % teaspoons vanilla Add slowly to milk mixture. Heat over low beat 2 minutes; do not boil. Whip 3 egg whites Beat in 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar Pour chocolate in tall glasses or mugs. Top each servil g with some of egg- white mixture. Sprinkle generously with nutmeg Serve immediately. run From the Deep South—so.. deep that it's down below the equator— cornea this one. It's a strong favor- ite with the teen-age gang—that Is, when they son get to ft before the oldsters have beaten them to it. SOUTH AMERICAN MOCHA Serves 6 Meat together; 2% cups strong coffee 3%.cups rich milk or light cream 1 3 -inch stink cinnamon 134 1 -ounce squares unsweetened chocolate Ye teaspoon salt Remove cinnamon. Add: 6 tablespoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon vanilla Beat to a froth with rotary egg beater or electric mixer. Pour immediately into cups. Top each serving with 1 marshmallow or 1 tablespoon sweetened whipped create Sprinkle nutmeg on top. * * * (inc next number—and you don't have to wait for any commercial an- nouncement — is decidedly 'warm- ing". It's easy to fix, and goes well with cake doughnuts, cookies, sand- wiches—especially on a chilly even- ing. GRAPE PUNCH Serves 6 Pour 11/4 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup sugar . 3 tablespoons grated lemon rind Cover; let stand 12 minutes. Add 6 cups grape juice 6 whole cloves Y, teaspoon cinnamon Bring to boil slowly. Simmer 8 minutes. Remove cloves. Serve hot in heavy glasses or mugs. Garnish 'with thin orange or lemon slices. * * * Lastly, here's one that isn't for the children. The folks who like their coffee "black, no -sugar" won't go for it in any big way either, be- cause it's sweet, creamy and spicy. It's a favorite down where the Mardi Gras is the great event of the year, and that's probably why it's called CAFE NEW ORLEANS Serves 6 Place in bottom of each cup: 1 stick of candied orange or lemon peel 1 clove 1 lump of sugar Fill cup with hot, strong coffee Stir until sugar dissolves. Whip Vs cup, heavy cream Fold in % teaspoon nutmeg Xi teaspoon cinnamon Soak for just a few moments 6 lumps sugar in juice of IA orange Remove immediately. Float whipped creast on top of coffee. "What's New, 01' Sock?"—This novel footwear, which may or may not indicate a trend, turned up at a teen -tigers' "sock hop". The socks were rigged up with ear muffs and funny faces by Emmet McDougall and Patty Boyle. 1508 ASA SECTION Or eA'N Np — sy Harold Arnett ICE REMOVER 0— e e e • FOR. REMOVING ICE FROM SIDEWALKS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL CAN BE MADE FROM AN ALD CROSSCUT -SAW BLADE ABOUT 4 FEET LONG. CUT THE BLADES IN 4 EQUAL PARTS BOLT THEM TOGETHER WITH 'THE TEETH ON ONE SIDE, USING FLAT PIECES OFATTTACH ASSTRO G HANDLE. SPANNER WRENCR e e e s e A 6000 tiPANN6Ife, WRENCH tAN BE MADE BY ALTERING A MONKEY WRENCH SLIGHTLY. A SMALL HOLE I6'PRILLED AND Noixl' ND PiECE6H prrIryLC, ROD ARE ORIVEN fN THEW. 1111191 ipsoI°I' ilw ougyiiglpp!I1:"fo mot _EN NEN the St. John Ambulance, oldest charitable organization in the world dedicated to the service of humanity, serves everyone, regardless of race, color or creed. TTere a nursing sister in the organization sympathetically helps a young' colored lad. To continue and extend its great humanitarian work the St. John Ambulance •will conduct a public appeal for S270,000 in Ontario from February 15 to 25. Slip -Covers For Children's Books "Be careful of that book, Dear. •It's a beautiful thing, and you don't want to spoil it." It is a beautiful thing, and he doesn't want to spoil it, but little lingers get smudgy, and how is a child to enjoy his books if he is constantly warned to be careful? One answer to the problem is a set of slip covers trade from the plastic fabric which is sold by the yard for malting mattress protect- ors and other waterproof articles. Being transparent, it interferes very little with the enjoyment of brightly colored covers on storybooks, yet it offers fine protection. In making the slip covers, it has been found that a complete wrap- around is best, from the inner edge of the front cover to the inner edge of the back cover. Cut it to extend about half an inch beyond while it is still on the book, as close to the edges of the book's own covers as you can manage. Then slip it off and stitch, pre- ferably with nylon thread, com- pletely across the top and bottom, inside the basting stitches, By mak- ing it rather small, and easing it on like a glove, you can get an al- most invisible skin-tight effect. Leave Quarter -Inch Seam After stitching, remove the bast- ing threads and trim the edges, leaving a quarter -inch seam. Turn right side out, and, bending the covers of the book back as far as they will go without being forced, begin to work the slip cover over both at once, Be sure to keep the seam toward the inside of the cov- ers. When it has been worked into place, you will find that the seam edges at the top and bottom of the back binding are stretched awk- wardly. Clip then( as far as the stitching on either side of this sec- tion, and tuck then( in. May Be Able To "Hear" Print It may soon be possible for the • blind to "hear" print if the latest_ experiments with radar are success- ful. Equipment has been designed which, -it is defined, 'would enable a blind person to read ordinary print more easily than Braille. A tiny beam of light, moving along the line of print, picks up re- flections from the letters and passes them into an apparatus which trans- forms. them into sound. Each letter has a distinctive sound which is memorized by the blind operator, who, with practice, is able to read the printed word. This is just one of the many mar- vellous devices being perfected at St. Dunstan's, world famous organi- sation for aiding men and women blinded on war service, The number of blinded ex -Servicemen tinder the care of St. Dunstan's is 1600 as a result of the First World War, and 1,200 as a result of the Second. VOICE OF EXPERIENCE A magistrate was discussing bev- erages with a friend. "Have you ever tried gin and ginger here?"( asked the friend, "No," replied the magistrate, "bu I've tried a lot of folks who have." Modern Etiquette By Roberta Lee Q. How should the invitation to act as a godparent be extended? A. Either verbally or by formal note. 'l'he request can hardly be refused, and one should consider it an honor to be.asked to stand spon- sor for a child, a 1 * Q. When introducing a person to' a group of people, is it necessary to repeat his name to everyone in the group? A. Usually just once is sufficient. However, if the group is rather large and there is a chance someone did not catch the name, it may be repeated. * * * Q. May a bride wear a white dress and a veil when being mar- ried in a magistrate's office? A. No. The traditional white is reserved for the oherch and home weddings. She should wear her going -away suit. * * * Q. When a host or hostess is taking six or eight other persons to a restaurant, should the dinner be ordered in advance, or would It be better to let each person choose his own course? A. It is much simpler to order in advance. To have the waiter serve six or eight separate dinners would be very inconvenient. • * a Q. If a bride wishes to wear her engagement ring during the Wed- ding ceremony, on which finger should she wear it? A. On the third finger of her right hand. • * :t Q. Is it proper to thank a wait- ress every time she serves one a dish? A. No; but one should acknowl- edge any special service, such as bringing an extra spoon or fork. d: * * 0. Why is it necessary for the parents of the bridegroom -elect to call at the home of the bride? A. Because the girl is not wel- comed by the family until they do so. This call should be made just as soon as the news of the engage- ment has been received. : a c Q. Is "I know Miss Brown" the proper thing to say when being in- troduced to her for a second time? A. No. This sounds as if it were trouble to nialce a second acknow- ledgnten. Say, "I have already had the pleasure of ,meeting Miss Brown." Q. When a man is making a busi- ness call, isn't it all right for him to place his hat and briefcase on the desk of the man with whom he. is talking? A. No: he should keep these articles in his lap. Was Nearly Crazy With Fiery Itch— . I discovered Dr, D. D. Dennis' amaelue- iv fast relief—D. D. D. aParescri tion, World speedsrppeace and'obmfort'fromteentelditching caused by oeaemo,im les, rashes, athlete's foot and other Itch troubles, Trial bottle,sae First appllcntlan shooks avow rho moat inense Itch ar mangy two, Asa or for D. D D. Prodfri,.pe, (ol•dlaary ar roars strength), Billions Of Them But No Two Alike Uf ail the billions of snowflakes that fall in it snowstorm, tech is a masterpiece of design; yet no- body has ever discovered two that were exactly alike, Perhaps, they do look irregular in shape as they fall, but when they are examined under a microscope they are seen to he made up of deli- cate hexagonal or sixsided crystals, these being massed together in a multitude of beautiful forms. Behind those leaden winter clouds the miraculous birth of a snowflake is going on, and the raw materials is invisible water vapour. If the temperature falls, this water vapour condenses into tiny drops of water forming round dust particles. The tiny drops combine and fall as rain. In certain conditions, however— and these must be just right— snow- flakes are formed instead. The temperature must be below freezing, there must be water va- pour in the air, and also particles of floating dust around which the snow -crystals can form. Even so, it might he "too cold for snow," for when the surface air is three degrees below freezing point the chances are five to one against snow forming. "As white as snow" is a common expression, yet snow is really color- less. If a flake is examined under a microscope it is seen to he clear transparent ice, But when lying in drifts on the ground the light that falls upon it is reflected itt all direc- tions and creates a pure whiteness. "Health -giving snow" is another popular phrase, and there is some- thing in it. Scientists have proved that the purifying effect of falling snow upon the air is greater than that of a similar quantity of water falling as rain. "It is rarely that snow is quite dry," says the medical journal, the "Lancet," and thus it presents a more or less moist surface to both the soluble and suspended impur- ities of the air and so carries them to earth." Lighter Than Rain Snow is much lighter than rain, being about one-tenth the weight of an equal bulk of water, though this proportion varies according to the compactness of the snow. Sometimes it takes only six inches of snow to make one inch of water, but occa- sionally it may take thirty inches. A severe snowstorm with a hard frost is disastrous in a civilized country. The snow settles on the telegraph wires, freezes, and• adds an enormous weight to the load the poles have to support, Then as the loaded wires are driven to and fro by the wind, they sway and either snap off their poles or drag them out of the ground. "Warm" Snow Snow acts like a warm blanket. On one occasion in America it was found that there was a difference in temperature of 56 degrees Fah- renheit between the cold snow at the surface and the warmer snow seven inches down. This blanket effect explains why sheep buried beneath the surface often survive. In Africa, almost at the equator, there is a snowfleld on Mount Kenya and another on Mount Kili- manjaro, There is a height in ail latitudes, whether tropical or arctic, above which the snow never melte entirely at any season of the year, and this is called the snow -line. Scientists think it not improbable that there is as much as a million cubic miles of snow and ice now on the land part of the earth. If this were melted and returned to the sea it would raise the ocean level about thirty feet. From The Pen Of J. M. Barrie From Peter Pan: When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh brolte into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that wee the beginning of fairies, Whenever a child says "I don't believe in fairies," there's a little fairy somewhere that falls right down and dies. To die will be an awfully big adventure. From Sentimental Tommy: The gates of heaven are so easily found when we are little and they are always standing open to let children wander in. To be an artist is a great thing, but to be an artist and not know it is the most glorious plight in the world. From The Little Minister: It's grand and you canna expect to be baith grand and comfortable. From What Every Woman Knows: It is a sort of bloom on woman. If you have it (;cltarm) you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have, Are You A Joker? If so, write for our free catalogue of Jokes, Tricks and Magic Nov- elties. COLLINS JOKE & MAGIC SHOP 975 Somerset St. W. Ottawa, Ont. Wholesale and Retail SPLITTI N G CO AD RELIEVED IK JiFFY And the RELIEF IS LASTING For remarkably fast relief from head ache get INSTANTINE, For real rest get INSTANTINE. For prolonged relict get INSTANTINEI Yes, more people every day are finding that INSTANTINE is one thing to ease pain fast. For headache, for rheumatic pain, aches -and pains of colds, for neuritic or neuralgic pain you can depend on INSTANTINE to bring you quick comfort. INsr,NTINE is made like a doctor's prescription of three proven medical ingredients. A single tablet usually brings fast relief. Qet Insanities today and elweya keep 8 bendy nstantine 12•Tablet Tln 25¢ Economical IB -Tablet Bottle 69¢ art /!i' SON=':04 4413 Your MONTHLY Period? Do female functional monthly ailments make you feel so nervous strangely restless,, so tense and weak a few days Just before your Eperiod? Then start taking Lydia . 'Inkhorn's Vegetable Com- pound to relieve such symptoms! It has such a soothing, comforting antispasmodic effect; on one of woman's most important organs, nature, Regular use of this great working through the sympathetic medicine boles build up resistance nervous system. against such female distress. Truly Pinkhanx'sCom ounddoesmore the woman's friends than relieve monthly pain. It slap NOTE, Or yea any profot relieves pre -period nervone writs- Lydia E. Pinkham's TAE.ET8 bility, tones emotions—of this wish added iron. LYDIA E. PIMKHAIt1'S Vegetable Compound ERNIE Honey and Hank WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD BE WRONG wrrw MET By See