Evening Star Newspaper, December 28, 1936, Page 6

PRIESTESS RULES POWERFUL TRIBES Anthropologists Told of Sa- cred “Charewa” and Do- mainin Southern Rhodesia. The story of a mysterious high priestess dwelling on a mountain top in Southern Rhodesla, 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 Boclety meeting here today by Dr. H. E. Wieschoff, 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 & 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. These inde- pendent spirits of all the dead kings “Whenever & 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 eommunicate with the world beyond through her own dual entity. Strong Political Forces. “Her political and social position is & 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 ~—s0 nobody could possibly climb it. The high priestess absolutely domi- nates the private life of the King. He cannot marry without her consent. She ehoases 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 in 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 somebody, for everybody knows that each wife has cost him £12 and 10 shillings. “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 ruied 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. By the Associated Press. OCINCINNATI, December 28.—Men who dig beneath earth's surface to @iscover secrets of her mineral wealth came to Cincinnati today to report the latest advances in geology and THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. O, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1936. 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 38.— The effect of growing jawbones and rudiments of teeth in brains, eyes and legs was reported to the American Assoclation 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 & 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 & 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 alone. 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. It 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 less pronounced in the eye and in the brain—<issue 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 able to trace the source from which the growing bone in the brain obtained its blood supply. Strange Insect Family. A strange family of inserts, 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- is of considerable economic impor- tance, he said, for these particular insects happen to be parasites of scale insects, twhlch 0;;]9 very injurious to orange trees. ly 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 ©ggs. The females emerge from the . They proceed 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, in order ing effort, such as dancing or run- ning. The pain is sharp, the victim turns pale, and must rest for 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 & few deep breaths. Geographic Society’s Repart. Discovery of a new ceiling of the world, s 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 for the Ad- vanocement 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, & 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. of Ceiling. ‘The ceiling begins, 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 51 times the number at sea level, because they are augmented by the secondary rays shot out when the orimary rays strike 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 & 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. 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 THAT THOMAS “ : i s : HOMAS Treatment has eliminated my dandruff and my scalp bas ceased itching. The crown of my head, which was com- pletely bald, is now filled with full grown hair,” says Thomas client Mr. A. H. Miller, whose photo- graphs are printed above. “Marvelous,” you say. “Rout- ine, daily work,” answers The Thomas expert. Each day The Thomas’ are ending dandruff, stopping abnormal hair fall, and re-growing hair for more than 1600 A fre- | produced during the flight survived. serious disablement of the animals, An important result of the obser- vations was the determination that the composition of the air is alightly dif- ferent at high altitudes. There is more nitrogen and less oxygen, but the difference is less than had been predicted. —_ MAN WHO “PROSPECTED” FOR SEA’S GOLD IS DEAD William Nance Said Recent Tests of Machine Produced “Amasing Results.” By the Assoclated 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 :n ailing heart in Susanville yester- ay. 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 “amasing results.” He dem- onstrated the machine October 19, 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. ESTABLISHED 1859 American Astronomical Group |STUDENTS’ UNION Meets at Frederick This Week BY the Associated Press. Md., December 28.— or university where astronomy is & major science will send representatives. ‘The attendance is expected to number things | nearly 100, cal capital of the continent for a day and & half. Practically every college $21,000 BAD MONEY SEIZED IN ARREST Blow Believed Dealt to Ring in Capture of New Yorker in Miami, Fla. By 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 & 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 & Miami hotel room by Agent George Newman, who posed as & dealer in counterfeit money. Beary, under whose direction Secret ) .8 KIEENARI — \ 1 (i @ \ - —F = AT Ascending Fragrance— Wonderful Flavor! CIRCLE > 2 11b. pkgs. \ The United States Weather Buresu, the Bureau of Standards and the Naval Observatory all will have rep- Tesentativer. Among the colleges and universities to send delegates are Har- vard, Princeton, ¥ale, 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. Miss 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. Bervice agents had worked on the case for nearly six weeks, said the man's activities were watched closely - for many days. Last night Newman flashed a roll hotel room. There, Beary 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 sched- uled for arraignment tomorrow in ‘United States District Court. \OpgN ALLNITE PRESCRIPTIONS PETWORTH PHARMACY GEORGIA AVE at UPSHUR ST. N.W. PHONE COLUMBIA 3856 TO DISCUSS WAR Delogates Meet in Chicago for Three-Day National Con- vention. B7 the Associated Press. OHICAGO, December 38.—War and threats of it held the attention of del- egates to the American Students’ Union three-day national convention umlulwdty. 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 BOARD THE SN these world developments mo doubt will require revision in our program as we chart our future course” said Leonard Engel, press representative. ‘The American Students’ Union, or- ganised & 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 Tsal, called the Chinese Joan of Arc. She represents the ClLinese 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., and New York arrived over the weeks end. OW TRAIN For a Glorious Day of WINTER SPORTS IN THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS Enjoy skiing, tobogganing and ice skat- ing at Meyersdale, Pa. Train carries comfortable Individual Seat Coaches and dining car. Rest rooms and refresh- ment facilities available during day. Every Sunday beginning January 3 ~=snow conditions permiiting Lv. Washington . . . . . s Returning —Lv. Meyersdale Arrive Washington . . Buy tickets in advance BALTIMORE =« O#/0 Roasts Qosing with Juice So Tender They Melt in Your Mouth! CHUCK -CORNER 21¢ 17 23 AGP 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. 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 Wiichase tall cans 20¢ 36 . Celebrate the New Year with Bubbling Cheer! sV o O de O o W c)o Ginger Ale ¢ Sparkling Water g These Juices are Delicious, Delovely and De- lectable, Perfect for Any Hour in the Day. POLK'S GRAPEFRUIT JUICE DEL MONTE Important Holiday Values! Del Monte Sliced Pineapple - - 3" Gibbs' Vegetable C Soup - - - - - o. 2% 21% ox. cans 49c 20c qt. bot. con'ts. O e mor¢ c)Q) < Eno 0'“' A Scoop Price - for Your Salad? ARIZONA | BEEF RORSTS | LETTUCE We recommend this cleon Med. Savoy Spinach 3 ™ 19¢ associated branches of science. N. B. C. English Style Assorted Biscuits = = - = = = \* PINEAPPLE JUICE % 31 as: Grape Juice - 2 Jux 15¢ ? Sultana Peanut Butter - - & 15¢ AP FOOD STORES Tune in Every Thursday Night—AGP Band Wagon—Command Appearance for the $500 Hero Award—Station WJSV—S8 to 9 P.M. E A crisp Arizona Iceberg Let- ooy Head 12 oz. cans Boid's Lovding Eiow & Scoly Speciolistr—e3 Offew Sevarate Depis. for Men & Women Suite 1050-51 WASHINGTON BLDG. Corner N. Y. Ave. & 15th 5t. N.W. O AM to 7TPM. SAT. te 350 P.ML. A i