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• A single walrus tusk can measure up to 1 m long and weigh 5.4 kg.
• Walruses swim by sweeping their huge rear flippers from side to side, each one opening in turn like a 1-m wide fan.
• The walrus is protected from the cold by a thick layer of blubber – a third of its total weight.
• In the summer, basking walruses turn a deep pink as their blood vessels dilate to radiate heat away from the body.
• Walruses excavate shellfish from seabed mud by squirting a high-pressure blast of water from their mouths.
• The walrus has 300 whiskers on each side of its mustache, which it uses to help it find food in murky waters.
• A walrus uses its long tusks to help it clamber onto ice floes – its scientific name, Odobenus, means ‘tooth walker.
• In water, a walrus turns a pale grey color as blood leaves its skin to maintain the temperature of its body core.
• A walrus can eat 3000 clams in one day. Walruses are very sociable, and like to gather in huge groups on coastal ice or rocks.
• A walrus’s tusks are actually extra-long upper canine teeth. The tusks of the male are longer, and used both for display and fin- competing with rivals during the breeding season.
• Walrus pups are born 15 months after the parents have mated – 4 to 5 months pass before the egg starts to grow in the mother’s womb.

• The world’s population climbed above 6 billion in 1999.
• Over a quarter of a million babies are born every day around the world.
• World population is growing at a rate of about 1.22 percent per year.
• At the current rate world population will hit 7.5 billion by 2020.
• Between 1950 and 1990, the world’s population doubled from about 2.5 billion to 5 billion, adding 2.5 billion people in 40 years.
• China will continue to control the growth of its population in the 21st century. Its goal is to keep the number below 1.4 billion until 2010.
• The 1990s added a billion people. The next decade will add 800 million. This adds 1.8 billion in 20 years.
• Asia has about 60 percent of the world’s population. China alone has 1.3 billion people and India has 1 billion.
• The average number of babies born to each woman varies from 1.11 in Bulgaria to 7.11 in Somalia.
• Latvia has 100 women to every 8 men; Qatar has 184 men to every 100 women.
• In the developed world people are living longer. In Japan people expect to live 80 years on average. In Mozambique, people only expect to live 36.6 years.

The fragrant and colorful Hyacinth, important early spring flower, often arrives before the daffodils are under way.

Hyacinths have several shades of purple, blue, yellow, and salmon, and there are single and double-flowered forms.

Many gardeners are under the impression that hyacinths must be planted in formal beds, are equally attractive when planted throughout perennial beds, along fence or by a stone wall. They can be in a single line or massed in groups. You may even wish them for indoor flowers during the months.

Hyacinths prefer light, sandy soils which warm quickly in the spring. They root deeply; the soil should be and fertilized at least eight inches. Thoroughly incorporate a generous amount of compost, very well-rotted manure meal or dried sludge.

The bulbs should be planted four to six deep and six to eight inches apart. Plant the bulbs at a uniform depth so that they bloom at the same time. This actually depends on soil conditions.

After blooming is over, let the foliage growing until it turns yellow and of its own accord. Good leaf growth for the development of the bulbs next spring’s performance. Begin as soon as the hyacinths stop blooming, and by the time their foliage becomes unsightly the annuals will take their place. The leaves of the hyacinth may be bunched together and tied loosely to allow more room between the bulbs for planting annuals.

Hyacinths tend to “run out” and have to be replaced more often than other spring bulbs, but they will bloom several years if fertilized each season and divided and reset every two to three years as foliage withers.

For blue and purple shades try planting Ostara, King of the Blues or Grand Maitre. For pinks and reds try Pink Pearl, Marconi, Amsterdam, or Princess Irene. Among the desirable white varieties are Edelweiss and Innocence. Orange Boven or Salmonetta is a soft salmon orange.

What is Glandular Fever?

This is a disorder that commonly attacks adolescents, particularly girls in the 15-25 year age group. It is caused by a virus called the Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus for short), and can produce debilitating symptoms that may persist for weeks or even months. A sore throat and swollen glands under the jaw, and later in almost any part of the body (armpits, groin etc) may occur. These become tender.

There is often a fever, poor appetite, aches and pains all over, frequently depression and disinclination for one’s normal activities and interests. Diagnosis is confirmed when the Paul Bunnell blood test or a serum antibody test yields a positive result, although this does not always occur. The disorder is not highly contagious. It is chiefly of nuisance value, for when the acute symptoms subside, so many feel generally off-color, depressed and unable to get back to normal duties with their usual bright, happy disposition and enthusiasm.

However, the outcome is invariably satisfactory. Unfortunately, treatment is mainly symptomatic, for there is no effective antibiotic against this virus. As glandular fever is essentially a disorder of the body’s lymph gland system, it is considered in detail in that part.

We seem to be hearing more about this strange disease. What is it all about? Glandular fever, or, to use its technical name, infectious mononucleosis, has skyrocketed to prominence over the past few years for various reasons. First, it is more common in adolescents, and is laughingly referred to by many as the kissing disease, or the disease of lovers, and so on.

After many years, it has been found the disease is caused by a special germ called the Epstein-Barr virus. This is often contacted during early childhood, way back in the first two to three years of life. At the time, no symptoms occur, but years later, they can suddenly erupt. During infancy the complaint is rare. The late teens are when it is more likely to cause trouble.

Glandular Fever Symptoms

A gradual onset of fever up to 38.9°C (102°F) is accompanied by a sore throat, swollen glands under the jaw, and elsewhere in the body, feeling distinctly unwell and possibly an enlargement of the liver and spleen, the two large organs located under the lower rib cage.

With obvious symptoms that steadily worsen and fail to respond to simple, do-it-yourself measures already outlined, she should call the doctor.

Glandular Fever Treatment

If there are plenty of similar cases around, diagnosis are often easy for the professional. But certain tests may be carried out that will quickly give the right diagnosis. These are based on testing samples of blood. Certain cells are present in the blood, and also a specific test will tell if the disease is glandular fever.

What kind of treatment is prescribed? As with so many of the viral infections, there is no special antibiotic that will destroy the germ. We hope to have one some day. Usually the patient is put to bed until the fever has subsided and he feels better. Fluids, vitamins, antipyretics (drugs such as paracetamol that will reduce fever and pain) all give some assistance.

The doctor will tailor-make a special routine for each patient. Sometimes severely infected patients may need hospital care, but this is unusual.

Recovery may take anywhere from two four weeks, and in severe cases, several months. Depression and psychological problems occur, often worse in teenagers studying for exams and miss school for prolonged periods of time. But fortunately, recurrences are rare; the on-term outlook is good, and seldom does a patient die from the complaint.

• A game bird is a bird that is hunted for sport.
• Game birds spend most of the time strutting along the ground looking for seeds. They fly only in emergencies.
• There are 250 species of game bird, including pheasants, grouse, partridges, quails, wild turkeys and peafowl.
• Most of the 48 species of pheasant originated in China and central Asia.
• The peacock (the male peafowl) of India and Sri Lanka is the most spectacular of all pheasants. When courting the drab peahen, the peacock throws up his tail feathers to create a gigantic turquoise fan.
• The common partridge is familiar as a game bird on farm land in Europe and south-western Asia. Partridges eat seeds and young shoots which they find on the ground.
• Many hen (female) game birds have dull brown plumage that provides good camouflage in their woodland and moorland homes.
• Many cock (male) game birds have very colorful plumage to attract mates.
• In the breeding season, cocks strut and puff up their plumage to attract a mate. They also draw attention to themselves by cackling, whistling and screaming.
• Pheasant cocks often fight each other violently to win a particular mating area.
• The jungle fowl of Southeast Asia is the wild ancestor of the domestic chicken.
• Peacocks were carried as treasure from India through the ancient world.

• Cosmic rays are streams of high-energy particles that strike Earth’s atmosphere.
• The lowest-energy cosmic rays come from the Sun, or are Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) from outside the Solar System.
• Medium-energy cosmic rays come from sources within our own Milky Way, including powerful supernova explosions.
• Collisions between cosmic rays and the hydrogen gas clouds left by supernovae create a kind of radiation called synchrotron radiation, which can be picked up from places such as the Crab nebula by radio telescopes.
• The highest-energy cosmic rays may come from outside our galaxy.
• About 85 percent of GCRs are the nuclei of hydrogen atoms, stripped of their electron (see atoms).
• Most other GCRs are helium and heavier nuclei, but there are also tiny positrons, electrons and neutrinos.
• Neutrinos are so small that they pass almost straight through the Earth without stopping.
• The study of cosmic rays gave scientists knowledge about high-energy particles – every subatomic particle except electrons, protons and neutrons.
• Most cosmic rays are deflected (pushed aside) by the Earth’s magnetic field or collide with particles in the atmosphere long before they reach the ground.
• The Earth is constantly bombarded by cosmic rays — streams of tiny, highly energized particles, traveling at high speed. Some came from exploding stars. Most cosmic rays don’t get through Earth’s atmosphere, but neutrinos pass right through our planet and out the other side.

• Parrots are colorful birds with curved bills for eating fruits and seeds and for cracking nuts. They are very noisy birds and they live mostly in tropical rainforests.
• Parrots have feet with two toes pointing forwards and two backwards, allowing them to grip branches and hold food.
• There are 330 or so parrot species divided into three main groups — true parrots, cockatoos and lories.
• Half of all parrot species, including macaws, green Amazon parrots and parakeets, live in Latin America.
• Australia and New Guinea are home to a group of parrots called cockatoos (which are white with feathered crests on their heads), as well as to lories and lorikeets. Birds
• The hanging parrots of Southeast Asia get their name because they sleep upside down like bats. The pink cockatoo’s headcrest displays bands of scarlet and yellow when spread
• The kea of New Zealand is a parrot that eats meat as well as fruit. It was once wrongly thought to be a sheep killer.
• Parrots are well known for their mimicry of human voices. Some have a repertoire of 300 words or more.
• An African grey parrot called Alex was trained by scientist Irene Pepperberg to identify at least 50 different objects. Alex could ask for each of these objects in English — and also refuse them.
• The blue-and-yellow macaw of the Amazon rainforest has been trapped so much for the pet trade, it is now quite rare.
• The budgerigar is a small parakeet from central Australia which is very popular as a pet.
• The white plumage of the pink cockatoo is shot through with a soft pink flush.

• A calendar year is roughly the time the Earth takes to travel once around the Sun — 365 days.
• The Earth actually takes 365.24219 days to orbit the Sun. This is called a solar year.
• To compensate for the missing 0.242 days, the western calendar adds an extra day in February every fourth (leap) year, but misses out three leap years every four centuries (century years).
• Measured by the stars not the Sun, Earth takes 365.25636 days to go round the Sun, because the Sun also moves a little relative to the stars. This is called the sidereal year.
• Earth’s perihelion is the day its orbit brings it closest to the Sun, 3 January.
• Earth’s aphelion is the day it is furthest from the Sun, 4 July.
• The planet with the shortest year is Mercury, which whizzes around the Sun in just 88 days.
• The planet with the longest year is Pluto, which takes 249 years to orbit the Sun.
• The planet with the year closest to Earth’s in length is Venus, whose year lasts 225 days.
• We get our year from the time the Sun takes to return to the same height in the sky at noon.
• Our years come from the time the Earth takes to go once round the Sun, so that the Sun appears at the same height in the sky again. But this journey actually takes not an exact number of days but 365 and a fraction. So the calendar gives a year as 365 days, and compensates with leap years and century years.

Impetigo is a skin disorder characterized by weeping sores that crust over with a hard, yellow-brownish coat. Pus and fluid often accumulate underneath. The skin area surrounding is often inflamed, and may be tender. This is common about the lips, on the face, and on the fingers and hands. The germ is usually caught from others, commonly at school where one infected child can infect an entire school. The lymph glands in the surrounding areas are usually swollen and tender.

Impetigo is an onslaught of the child’s skin by a family of germs called the streptococcus, or occasionally by its friend, the staphylococcus. I might add that it has always been regarded as an “onslaught” because the term comes from the old Latin word impetus, which means attack.

I think mother would like to know what happens after the attack. Germs are often conveyed home from a school, and for this reason are more Impetigo or “school sores,” caused by a streptococcal infection, is highly contagious.

It is probable in children of that age group than babies – but junior may readily infect brothers and sisters from a common source at school. Very rapidly the germs multiply and cause a pus-filled, discharging sore commonly on the face around the lips, chin, but also hands and knees. Any part of the body may be involved, but these are the most common.

They are brownish, ugly, very obvious, and the discharging fluid sets to form a brown crust. But underneath the infection continues unabated. Often the lymph glands nearby, commonly under the jaw or in the armpits or groin with limb infections, swell and become very tender as they produce special cells aimed at quelling the invaders. The germ is highly contagious, and several other skin areas may be infected from the original sore.

Impetigo Treatment

Simple bathing of the parts with a weak Condi’s crystal solution (pink only) helps. Gently remove the scabs with bathing. Application of an antiseptic cream helps (although antibiotic creams from the doctor are often superior).

Single sores may be covered with band aids. Painting surrounding areas with spirit or spirit-based lotions and tinctures may help prevent spread to other parts. Severely infected children should be kept home from school to avoid contaminating many other children.

Simple bathing of the infected areas with a weak Condi’s crystal solution is often a good start. Make this a light pink only – not dark crimson or black. Bathe away the scabs and the underlying pus and debris.

This in itself often kills off germs. But applying an antibiotic cream or ointment from the doctor will frequently clear the sores within two or three days. Keep them covered to prevent spreading, both to the child’s skin as well as to others.

Paint methylated spirits around the surrounding skin; this also helps check spreading. Cover the sore for the same reason. Large areas may need a dry dressing and bandaging.

See the doctor for further advice and perhaps more medication. Also, I think the child should be kept home until the sores have healed to check spreading. The germs are extremely contagious and can cause similar sores on others. Also, you can give your child the task of bathing the sores and removing the scabs. This gives the patient something to do, for a child often makes a good nurse!

Impetigo, a bacterial skin infection, is spread by contact, and is common, among children. Adequate attention to underlying causes. Attention to diet and general health is desirable, especially if these bouts are recurrent.

Attention by the doctor may be required if simple measures do not bring a quick response. Other measures available include: Antibiotic applications. The broad spectrum antibiotics, when applied as creams or ointments, usually bring spectacular results. A large number arc available and the doctor will write a prescription for your particular needs (e.g. Soframycin, Neomycin etc).

Antibiotics orally. These may be needed in severe cases, but with local treatment are usually not required. General measures. If severe recurring bouts arc taking place, the doctor will seek underlying causes of general ill health and aim treatment at this.

Boils (Furuncle; Folliculitis). This is a painful infection of a hair root. It usually takes several days to develop. Starting from an area of redness and general discomfort, it can rapidly progress. The infected part swells, becomes hot, red, later tense and a lump develops. This is usually due to localized inflammation of the surrounding skin, and the collection of pus. Then a “core” develops, and this finally points and discharges. it is formed of a yellow plug of tenacious pus-filled material. Once this is removed, the pain Boils are hard, red and painful swellings resulting from an infection of the hair roots by the germ Staphylococcus aureus.

• Mice and rats belong to a group of 1,800 species of small mammals called rodents. The group also includes squirrels, voles, lemmings beavers, porcupines and guinea pigs.
• All rodents have two pairs of razor-sharp front teeth for gnawing nuts and berries, and a set of ridged teeth in their cheeks for chewing.
• A rodent’s front teeth, called incisors, grow all the time. Only gnawing keeps them the same length.
• Rats and mice are by far the most common rodents – they have adapted well to living alongside humans.
• Brown and black rats carry germs for diseases such as food poisoning, plague and typhus.
• Rabbits and hares look like rodents but they belong to another group of mammals called lagomorphs or ‘leaping shapes.’
• Rats and mice have long thin tails, pointed noses, beady black eyes and four very sharp front teeth.
• Hares live above ground and escape enemies through sheer speed. Rabbits live in burrows underground.
• Baby hares are born above ground, covered in fur and with their eyes open. Rabbits are born naked and blind in burrows.
• Rabbits breed quickly – a female can have 20 babies every month during the breeding season, and her babies will have their own families after 6 months.
• One single rabbit could have more than 33 million offspring in just 3 years, if they all survived to breed.
• A single mouse can produce up to 34 young in one litter.