Evening star. [volume], December 28, 1936, Page A-6, Image 6

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
PRIESTESS RULES
POWERFUL TRIBES
Anthropologists Told of Sa
cred “Charewa” and Do
main in Southern Rhodesia.
The story of a mysterious high
priestess dwelling on a mountain top
In Southern Rhodesia, ruling a
powerful people, and so sacred that
none but a chosen few may look on
her, was reported in a paper prepared
for the American Anthropological
Society meeting here today by Dr.
H. E. Wleschoff, University of Penn
sylvania archeologist.
The American scientist himself
was repeatedly thwarted in efforts to
visit the lofty sanctuary of this
“charewa” of the Babudjas. Natives
did not dare even to guide him close
to the foot of the mountain. Yet
there Is no question, It was brought
out, that she is a real personage with
enormous power.
Not even the King of the Babudjas
himself Is allowed to see her, yet he
must obtain her approval for every
extraordinary decision. All communi
cation between them is carried on by a
specially ordained messenger.
Natives Tell of Court.
The natives told Dr. Wieschoff the
charewa is attended on her mountain
top by a few young girls who are
trained to succeed her in the priestess
hood. They are brought to her sanc
tuary as children and never leave it.
The succession can fall to only one
of them and the archeologist never
was able to find out what became of
those who failed.
Said Dr. Wieechoff: "Charewa is
not only understood as a human be
ing, but she also has an independent
spiritual existence, called ‘Nehoreka.’
The king also supposedy has a dual
existence, in one of which he is a kind
of transcendental lion. 111686 inde
pendent spirits of all the dead kings
are supposed to constitute a council of
spirits.
“Whenever a very important ques
tion is put to the charewa and she
has doubts as to what should be done
she seeks through the medium of her
own spiritual being, the Nehoreka, the
advice of this council of spirits, who
are presided over by a supreme spirit.
Thus the charewa has the power to
communicate with the world beyond
through her own dual entity.
Strong Political Forces.
"Her political and social position is
a strong one. No king could be pro
claimed without her consent. She
commissions an official of the tribe to
represent her in preparatory formal
ities which are held at night. This
official and the king-to-be, accom
panied by the council of elders, con
vene at a certain place. The royal
heir is asked to climb a steep rock
under the eyes of this official. If he
fails. It is an indication that the
charewa as well as the spirits of all
the dead kings frown upon him, and
the next in succession is put to the
same test"
In spite of the reverence for the
high priestess, Dr. Wieschoff said,
opposition parties sometimes make the
rock slippery—the old greased-pole
idea of the American lodge Initiation
—so nobody could possibly climb It
The high priestess absolutely domi
nates the private life of the King. He
cannot marry without her consent.
She ehooses the names of his children.
One of her most important duties is
the King's burial. She prepares a
black ox hide which serves as a coffin.
The dead monarch is dressed in this
hide with his arms inserted in the
forelegs and his legs in the hindlegs
of the animal skin. Then he Is buried
in a squatting position in a crevice
between two rocks, closed to the out
side by stone walls.
Monarch’s Dual Personality.
It is supposed that in a few days
an insect issues from the coffin, which
changes immediately into the tran
scendental lion, the dead monarch’s
dual personality, and flys away to
Join the governing council of dead
rulers.
A land where wives are worth $75
each and a man's status in a com
munity depends on the size of his
harem was described by Edward Ward,
missionary among the Yoruba of
Southern Nigeria.
In this Slave Coast tribe of 2,000,
000 persons, Mr. Ward said, polygamy
still thrives on a grand scale largely
as an evidence of wealth. He said:
"Even if a man does possess much
money hidden away Id the ground—
for that is their bank—his neighbors
will not believe him. Only by showing
that he has a number of wives can
he convince his neighbors that he is
aomebody, for everybody knows that
each wife has cost him £12 and 10
■hillings.
"The King of Ondo had only 75
wives for Chief Lisa’s 205. This fact
was very much spoken of by the na
tives. Lisa loomed larger in the eyes
of his countrymen than the king, al
though the latter ruled over 60,000
people.
"On the feats of the god of iron
the chiefs in order of seniority and
surrounded by their wives come up to
hand over sheep and goats for sacri
fice. As the commoners close in to
see the sight they are careful to note
the number of wives each chief has
and that forms the nucleus of their
conversation for the rest of the
evening."
SESSIONS TO BARE
MINERAL SECRETS
Many Distinguished Geologists
and Others to Attend Cincin
nati Meeting.
•t the AuociaUd Prtu.
CINCINNATI, December 28.—Men
who dig beneath earth’s surface to
discover secrets of her mineral wealth
came to Cincinnati today to report
the latest advances in geology and
associated branches of science.
meeting with the Geological Society
of America in three-day convention
beginning tomorrow, will be the
Mineralogical Society of America and
the Paleontological Society of America.
Papers on subjects ranging from
flood control and drought to the
mlneralafic aspect of silicosis and the
production of synthetic gems are on
the Individual or joint programs.
Among outstanding scientists here
are W. C. Mendenhall, director of the
United States Geological Sumy,
Washington, president of the geologi
cal group; Dr. Charles P. Berkley,
professor of geology at Columbia Uni
versity, secretary; Dr. W. 8. Bailey of
the University of Illinois at Urbana,
and Dr. Morris M. Leighton, chief
of the Illinois Geological Survey.
Scientist Reports on Forces
Governing Facial Appearance
Effect of Bone Growth in Brains, Eyes
and Legs Described by Head of
Dental School at Harvard. .
BY THOMAS R. HENRY.
ATLANTIC CITY, December M —
The effect of growing jawbones and
rudiments of teeth In brains, eyes
and legs was reported to the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science here today by Dr. Lawrence
W. Baker of the Harvard University
Dental School.
The ultimate purpose of the investi
gation is to find out the fundamental
forces responsible for the shape and
appearance of the face.
The lower jaws of unborn rats
were Implanted in the tissue of mature
animals in an effort to separate the
Inherent and functional influences
which operate in the growth of teeth.
At the same time, he fed rats with
minute amounts of madder, a red
dye which is carried by the blood
stream and has a special affinity for
growing bone. The red staining of the
transplanted bones when the experi
mental animals were killed weeks later
showed Dr. Baker just what sort of
a growth process had taken place.
"Never before,” he said, “has the
riddle of growing bone been investi
gated in such an Intimate manner.”
Explains Development.
In the development of jaws and
teeth of any individual. Dr. Baker
explained, two factors are balancing
or pulling against each other. One is
the inherent urge of the basic sub
stance to become a jaw or a tooth of
a certain shape or size. This is laid
down in the germ plasm of the in
dividual. The other is the constant
pulling or pushing of the other de
veloping organs associated with jaw
and teeth, such as the muscles of
mastication. These interact upon each
other in an extremely complex fashion.
Thus, Dr. Baker explained, there
probably is some mysterious element
in the growth and eruptive forces of
the teeth which determine largely the
shape of an Individual's face. He
showed pictures of a dog, all of whose
teeth on one side were pulled in early
puppyhood. Practically every bone in
the animal's head varied strikingly
from the normal as it grew to ma
turity until it was a weird caricature
of a dog.
Something in the teeth themselves
governed the growth of the creature's
face bones, he demonstrated, rather
than a disbalance set up by lack of
exercise on that side, because when
the teeth were left intact and all the
muscles attached to the jaws on that
side were paralyzed no such bone de
formity resulted. Moreover, he said,
it often has been noted that while
an infant’s teeth are erupting the
face bones are growing faster than
any other bones in the head and the
face is taking on the shape it will
have for life.
Transplanting Experiments.
It is in an effort to throw some
light on these mysterious “influences” ]
that the transplanting experiments
have been attempted at Harvard. By
placing teeth and jawbones in entirely
strange environments, where none of
the customary environmental forces
to which they are subjected are pres
ent, it is hoped to find out just what
they are inherently compelled to do,
by forces within themselves aloiie.
The best growth has been obtained
in leg muscle. Muscle is the normal
matrix in which teeth and jawbones
grow. Dr. Davis has kept a jawbone
growing in a rat's leg for 40 days.
I( took on the same shape as a nor
mal jawbone of a rat 40 days old, but
its growth was far less pronounced.
The growth was much leas pronounced
in the eye and in the brain—tissue
surroundings which were not made
for jaws and teeth.
The transplanting into the brain,
however, may have uncovered an Im
portant fact in brain physiology. It
has been observed that when certain
biological stains are placed in the
circulatory system of an animal—
trypan blue is a notable example—
practically every organ of the body
becomes deeply stained except the
brain tissue. This has led to the
belief that there is some mysterious
barrier in the blood vessels of the
brain which protects this organ
against the entrance of foreign sub
stances. Nobody can ever get a blue
brain or a green brain.
But the jawbone grew in the brain
tissue and its growth additions were
red, due to their affinity for madder.
This dye must have traveled right
Into the brain through the blood
stream, thus finally disposing of the
long-held brain barrier hypothesis so
far as the circulation is concerned.
Dr. Baker also was stole to trace the
source from which the growing bone
in the brain obtained its blood supply.
Strange Insect Family.
A strange family of insects, whose
males can survive only by eating their
sisters, was described at a group
meeting of the association by Dr.
Stanley E. Flanders, entomologist of
the University of California.
What may be considered the wierd
est “family” arrangement in creation
is of considerable economic impor
tance, he said, for these particular
insects happen to be parasites of scale
insects, which are very Injurious to
orange trees. Only by understanding
their way of life can the benefactors
be kept alive in this country.
First, Dr. Flanders said, the female,
of this minute, wasplike creature in
troduced from South Africa, bores
into the scale Insect and lays her
eggs. The females emerge from the
eggs first into the blood stream of
the doomed host. They proceed to
drink all the blood and eat all the
tissues.
Only then do the males hatch.
They can breath only In air and
would drown If they came out Into
the blood stream. The sisters must
make a dry world for their baby
brothers. But then there is nothing
to eat except the sisters. So, la order
to survive, their -brothers must eat
them. It is a striking esse of con
servation of food supply. Dr. Flanders
pointed out, since the host insect
actually Is eaten twice. In a brood
there usually are a few more males
than females, so it has been possible
to keep the species alive.
“Stitch In Side.”
Finding the cause and cure of the
“stitch in the side” in children—a
complaint first described by Pliny
2,000 years ago was announced to
the association today by Dr. I. New
ton Kugelmass of the New York City
Children’s Hospital.
It is due, he found, to "crossed
thoracic abdominal breathing” and
can usually be cured by breathing
exercises.
Not serious in Itself, Dr.
said, a stitch In the side -especially
when It is periodically recurrent—
often is confused with a heart ail
ment or rheumatism. It always Is
located In one place and eomaa dur
ing effort, such u dancing or run
ning. The pain la (harp, the victim
turns pale, and must rest tor relief.
It never occurs below seven years
and Increases In frequency In the
'teens.
Examination of 500 children showed
56 suffering from the ailment. All
were of tall, slender body build and
usually had flat chests and stooped
shoulders. All reported relief when
they took a few deep breaths.
Geographic Society’s Report.
Discovery of a new celling of the
world, a 3-mile thick layer of
atmosphere about 11 miles above the
earth's surface, was announced here
yesterday by the National Geographic
Society in an exhibit prepared for the
American Association tor the Ad
vancement of Science.
In this narrow band of attenuated
air, three things reach their greatest
Intensity, decreasing above and below:
First, the intensity of cosmic rays,
mysterious radiation particles shot
into the earth's atmosphere with
energies of billions of volts from the
vast spaces beyond the stars.
Second, the protecting layer of
ozone gas, a form of oxygen, which
shields the face of the planet from a
bombardment of ultra-violet light
from the sun which probably would
mean tne extermination of all living
things.
Third, the electrical conductivity,
or ionization, of their air.
The discovery was made by exami
nation and correlation of the data
gathered during the society's strat
osphere’ flight last November.
Beginning of Ceiling.
The celling begin*, the records show,
at approximately 10^ miles and ex
tends roughly to 13.71 miles, the high
est point reached by the balloon. In
this region the number of cosmic rays
recorded by Instruments is SI times
the number at sea level, because they
are augmented by the secondary rays
shot out when the Drlmary rays
strilra atoms of the air gasses. Below
this*height the air is so much thicker
it absorbs many of them.
' The air is approximately 81 times
better as a conductor of electricity
than at sea level. This is a correlary
to the fact that the cosmic rays are
tearing electrons off so many atoms of
the gasses, thus changing their elec
trical charge and making them elec
trically conducting.
The society also presented evidence
gathered from the stratosphere flight
that extreme cold may have played a
part in evolution. Dr. Victor Jollos
of the University of Wisconsin sent
! aloft a number of fruit flies, favorite
animals of the experimental biologists,
to see whether the increased intensity
of cosmic radiation bombarding them
at high altitudes would result in
changes in their offspring. A fre
quently advanced theory is that mu
tations from species to species in the
scale of life may have been produced
by cosmic rays striking the genes In
the germ cells.
Adult Flies Die.
The cold in the stratosphere was so
great, however, that all the adult
flies died. But the eggs and larvae
; I
“"-“7 ] ' '"'ll- j
& HOMAS Treatment has
eliminated my dandruff and my
scalp has ceased itching. The
crown of my head, which was com
pletely bald, is now filled with full
grown hair,” aays Thomas client
Mr. A. H. Miller, whose photo
graphs are printed above.
“Marvelous,” you say. “Rout
ine, daily work,” answers Ths
Thomas expert. Each day The
Thomas’ are ending dandruff,
stopping abnormal hair fall, and
re-growing hair for more than 1600
persons. Thomas can help you,
too, to have a good, healthy head
at hair.
Consult a Thomas expert today.
Without any charge or obligation
he will examine your scalp care
fully and advise you freely as to
what you should do in order to
prevent baldness or to re-grow
hair on the thin and bald spots.
Examinations are always made In
private._
■ Separata Depti. ter Men 4 Women
I Suite 1650-51
I WASHINGTON BLDG.
■ Corner N. Y. Are. A 15th St. N.W.
■ S A M. to V P M. SAT- to S.SS P.M.
produced during the flight survived.
They showed five times m high a rate
of mutation, or change, as did the
offspring of flies remaining in the
laboratory. The number of such
mutations which possibly could be
produced by a certain intensity of
cosmic ray bombardment of germ
cells can be mathematically calcu
lated. This was far beyond what was
possible from the four-hour exposure.
The only explanation la that the genes
were altered by the extreme tempera
ture. All the mutations produced
were such as resulted In the death or
serious disablement of the animals.
An important result of the obser
vations was the determination that the
composition of the air is slightly dif
ferent at high altitudes. There Is
more nitrogen and less oxygen, but
the difference la lees than had been
predicted.
MAN WHO “PROSPECTED”
FOR SEA’S GOLD IS DEAD
William Nance Said Recent Tests
of Xachint Produced
“Amazing Results.”
Bj the Associated Press.
ALTURAS, Calif., December 38.—
William David Nance, 63, who con
tended he could extract enough gold
from the sea to "change every mone
tary standard in the world.” died of
an ailing heart in Susanvllle yester
day.
Nance, prospector, inventor and
artist, anticipating death, was rush
ing to complete a machine he said
would extract gold from sea water.
Recently he said a test operation
produced “amazing results.” He dem
onstrated the machine October IB,
1935, before six witnesses—but swore
them to secrecy.
To insure secrecy for his invention
Nance ordered machine parts from a
dozen different firms. He alone
knew how to assemble them.
American Astronomical Group
Meets at Frederick This Week
By tbs Assoelstsd Press.
FREDERICK, Ud., December 5«.—
Some of the most famous astronomers
In North America will gather here this
week to discuss fascinating new things
they have found out about the stars.
Papers touching upon many phases
of the ancient science of atar-gaUng
will be read at the fifty-seventh meet
ing of the American Astronomical
Society, beginning at Hood College
today and lasting until Wednesday.
Among the reports to be heard are
those of the Mount Wilson Observatory
at Pasadena, Calif., one of the most
famous In the world, and of the Do
minion Astrophysical Observatory,
Victor, British Columbia.
The city will become the astronomi
cal capital of the continent for a day
and a half. Practically every college
or university when astronomy is a
major science will send representatives.
The attendance is expected to number
nearly 100.
The United States Weather Bureau,
the Bureau ct Standards and the
Naval Observatory all will have rep
resentative#. Among the colleges and
universities to send delegatee are Har
vard, Princeton, Tale, Cornell, Brown,
Wellesley, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Uni
versity of Virginia, University of Wis
consin, Carlton College, Wesleyan (of
Ohio), Cashe School of Applied Science
and the Alleghany Observatory.
Mias Leah B. Allen, professor of as
tronomy at Hood, is in charge of ar
rangements. Dr. H. N. Russell of
Princeton, president of the society, will
oceupy the chair at the sessions.
$21,000 BAD MONEY
SEIZED IN ARREST
Blow Believed Dealt to Ring in
Capture of New Yorker in
Miami, Fla.
Br the Associated Press.
MIAMI, Fla., December 28.—James
H. Beary of Jacksonville, Fla., Fed
eral Secret Service agent, said last
night he believed a smashing blow
had been dealt to a Nation-wide coun
terfeit ring with the arrest of a man
booked as Rocco de Franco, 48, of
New York.
Beary said spurious $20 notes to
taling $21,000 were found in the man's
possession in a Miami hotel room by
Agent George Newman, who posed as
a dealer in counterfeit money.
Beary, under whose direction Secret
Service agents had worked on the case
tor nearly six weeks, said the man’s
activities were watched closely tar
many days.
Last night Newman flashed a roll
of bills In the presence of the arrested
man. who Invited the agent to the
hotel room. There. Beary said, the
man offered to sell (20,000 of the bills,
which he kept In an overcoat sleeve
tied at the end of a string, for (5,000.
The arrest followed.
The man listed as Franco is ached*
uled for arraignment tomorrow In
United States District Court.
Pet Wort h
PHARMACY*
CIOMIA AVC a UPSHUR ST. N.W.
PHOMf COLUMBIA SBSb
STUDENTS’ UNION
TO DISCUSS WAR
Delegates Meet in Chicago for
Three-Day National Con
vention.
By U>* Associated Press.
CHICAGO, December 28.—War and
threats of it held the attention of del
egate* to the American Student*’
Union three-day national convention
opening today.
Civil war in Spain, trouble in the
Orient and tenseness in Europe aye
of vital interest, delegates explained,
because they affect the organisation’s
program against war and for peace.
"When we review the past year
these world developments no doubt
will require revision In our program aa
we chart our future course,” said
Leonard Engel, press representative.
The American Studenta’ Union, or
ganised a year ago at Columbus, Ohio,
sponsored the students’ strike against
war last Spring. Its national chair
man Is George C. Edwards, Jr., of
New York.
Delegates awaited the scheduled ap
pearance of Miss Loh Tsai, called the
Chinese Joan of Arc. She represents
the Chinese Students' Union.
A message from John L. Lewis,
leader of the Committee on Industrial
Organization was to read at the
convention banquet tomorrow night.
Meetings were scheduled In several
churches In the University of Chicago
district, with about 500 expected.
Delegations from Los Angeles. Calif.,
snd New York arrived over the week
end.
BOARD THI SNOW TRAIN
IXTIA ! Att-w»«»w WMk
• nd Wintor Sport* Tours,
Friday to Sunday indusiva,
ovary wook-ond bofinning
January S. Spociol Now Yoor's
Wook-ond Tour loavinf
Thursday, Docantbor 31.
For Furthor I n tor mo
tion Tolophono District
3300—National 7370
_ fora Glorious Day of
WINTER SPORTS
IN THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS
Enjoy skiing, tobogganing and ico skat*
ing at Meyersdale, Pa. Train comas
comfortable Individual Seat Coaches
and dining car. Restrooms and refresh*
ment facilities available during day.
Ivory Sunday beginning January 3
— snow conditions permitting
Iv. Washington. S.15 A. M.
••turning —lv. Mayorsdolo.5:45 P. M.
Arrive Washington.10.00 P.M.
•uy tickets la advance
Baltimore & Ohio
w
Roasts Oozing with Juice
So Tender They Melt in Your Mouth!
BEEF ROASTS
CHUCK 17!
3-CORNER 21!
RIB 23!
A&P quality beef in its juicy goodness will earn itself the
title "Best Dinner of the Week" amongst your family.
Here is a change to a lavish meat of superior quality that
must be on your menu.
Ascending Fragrance—
M Wonderful Flavor!
I RED CIRCLE
COFFEE
'P 2 as 39 ci
We like a rich and full bodied coffee taste when it comes to coffee. Prepare
plenty of it and be prepared for a raid. Stock up your larder with a reasonable
supply for the holiday.
Evap. Milk ¥nS£r 3 c«!!s 20e
q Celebrate the New Year with Bubbling Cheer! *c'
. Vi 1 A ^ *»* ** (" ^ _ O -v _ _
CLUB 3 20‘
These Juices are
Delicious, Delovely and De
lectable, Perfect for Any
Hour in the Day•
POLK'S
6R0PEFRUIT JUICE
DEL MONTE
PIIIEQPPLE JUICE
412 oz.
cons
Ginger Ale • Sparkling Water
Important
Holiday Values!
Del Monte Sliced
Pineapple - - 3 No«2* 49c
Gibbs' Vegetable
Soup.3 20c
N. B. C. English Style Assorted
Biscuits 31c
Putnam's
Grape Juice - 2 •*«*“ 15c
Sultana
Peanut Butter - - l5c
nTrA
Scoop Price
I for Your Suludt
ARIZONA
ICEBERG
LETTUCE
For finer, tastier salads . . . __ hm
We recommend this clean ee
critp Arizona Iceberg Let- Head g *
A •
Savoy Spinach 3 ^ 19c
PEP FOOD STORES
Tune in Every Thursday Night—AGrP Band Wagon—Command Appearance for the $500 Hero Award—Station WJSV—8 to 9 P.M.
%