Great Libraries.—The Congressional Library, Washington, contains 1,800,000 volumes; Boston Public Library and New York Public Library, each 900,000; Harvard University Library, 800,000; New York State Library, 520,000; Yale University Library, 400,000; Bibliothèque nationale, Paris, 2,600,000; British Museum, London, 2,000,000; Imper. publicnaja biblioteka, St. Petersburg, 1,330,000; Königliche Bibliothek, Berlin, 1,200,000; Kön. Hof-u. Staatsbibliothek, Munich, 1,000,000; K. u. k. Hofbibliothek, Vienna, 900,000.
Great Tunnels.—The Arlberg tunnel under the Alps is 6-3/4 miles long. The Gunnison tunnel in Colorado is 6 miles long. The Hoosac tunnel in Massachusetts is 4-3/4 miles long. The Mont Cenis in Italy and France is 8 miles long. The New Croton water tunnel in New York is 33-1/8 miles long. The Otira in New Zealand is 5 1-3 miles long. The tunnel which drains the Freiberg mines, Saxony, is 31-1/2 miles long.
The St. Clair tunnel, connecting Sarnia, Ont., with Port Huron, Mich., is 2 miles long. The St. Gotthard tunnel in the Alps is 9 1-3 miles long. The Strawberry tunnel in the Wasatch Mountains is 50 miles long.
Hair Growers.—Notwithstanding the claims made by advertisers of patent nostrums, the writer has not as yet heard of a preparation or treatment which will restore hair after the hair cells are dead. It appears to be utterly impossible to grow hair upon a bald head, or upon a bald spot, unless the roots of the hair remain, notwithstanding the claims made by sellers of hair tonics. Falling hair may be prevented in many cases by the use of a good hair tonic, but as different people require different preparations, it is inadvisable to give any prescription here. A physician should be consulted, and a prescription obtained from him, adapted to conditions. Many of the advertised hair tonics contain lead and other poisonous drugs. So far as is known, there is not a preparation or contrivance of any kind which will restore gray hair to its former color. All nostrums advertised to do it are simply hair dyes. The medical profession has not discovered a method of preventing gray hair. Most of the advertised hair dyes contain lead and other poisons, and are dangerous to use, and the dyeing of the hair is not to be recommended even though a nonpoisonous dye is used. As the dye can only cover the hair in sight, it must be used constantly, or each separate hair will be of two colors.
Half-Century of Life.—A French statistician states that a man fifty years of age has spent 6000 days in sleep, has worked 6500 days; walked 800 days; enjoyed some amusement 4000 days; spent 1500 days in bed; and was sick 500 days. He further estimates that this man has eaten 17,000 pounds of bread; 16,000 pounds of meat; 4600 pounds of vegetables, eggs, and fish; and has drank 7000 gallons of liquid.
Hawaii.—The Hawaiian Islands have a total area of 6,740 square miles, and a population of about 160,000. The climate is semitropical, and pineapple growing and sugar making are the principal industries.
Hay Industry.—Over 48,000,000 acres are devoted to hay, producing nearly 4,500,000 tons, of a value not far from $50,000,000 a year.
Health.—Ninety per cent. of common ailments, and fully one-half of serious diseases, may be prevented if one gives a reasonable amount of attention to the care of his health. It would be out of place to present, in this book, any rules or regulations for the maintenance of health, assuming that it is possible to do so. Any good physician is competent to advise in the majority of cases, and will prescribe beneficial exercise and proper food. Most of us eat too much, and exercise too little. The province of the physician is as much to keep people well as it is to cure them. Good sense and economy suggest that a physician be consulted at least once a year, even by those in apparent health. So-called "doctors' books" should be avoided, unless recommended by regular practitioners.
Historical Data