Ask Whatever You Wish

1 – Is smoking useful for reducing stoutness?

This idea that has crept into people's minds — that smoking reduces stoutness — is a mistake. The fact is that smoking destroys the appetite for food; and this phenomenon is not new, for the ancient inhabitants of Brazil used smoking on their journeys in the year 1555 to ward off hunger and thirst. And we ought not to look to this powerful effect, which is harmful to health, for alcohol and smoking were the cause of the spread of consumption among that people.

The truth is that the cause of the loss of appetite is that the smoke robs the body of the food particles it needs, such as vitamins and iron, and thus one is left waiting for sickness and weakness.

2 – What is the way to remember names?

You remember the face, but the name has slipped your mind — and who among us has not stood in this awkward position? You are astonished when a stranger greets you, expecting you at least to remember his name! Be frank, and ask him: "Could you remind me of your name?" Or say deliberately: "I find myself at a loss in this situation, but I must ask you your name."

This opening is better than saying "I do not remember your name," for that makes the person feel that you take no interest in him as a human being.

When you remember everything about a person but the name has slipped your mind, you can steer the conversation tactfully until the name comes back to you in the course of the talk.

3 – Does the body benefit from vitamins?

The body needs vitamins for its growth and for keeping it healthy and regular in its workings; they also give it immunity against incidental diseases.

1 – Vitamin A prevents the principal injuries that may befall the eyes.

2 – Vitamin B complex helps the body's cells to extract nourishment from the other foods; it also keeps the skin sound and regulates the working of the nerves, the muscles, and the sight.

3 – Vitamin C strengthens the body's immunity against "anemia," inflammation of the gums, and scurvy.

4 – Vitamin D prevents rickets in children, and likewise prevents diseases of the teeth.

4 – Which foods help build healthy teeth?

The foods that help the teeth come down to milk and everything made from it; then vegetables and fruits of every kind; eggs, red (lean) meat, chicken, and fish. As for bread and the other cereals, they can by no means be dispensed with.

5 – What quantity of blood does the heart pump at each beat?

The anatomists say that the quantity approaches six ounces at each stroke: the right side of the heart pumps three ounces, which follow the course between it and the lungs; then the left side of the heart pumps the remaining three ounces to the rest of the body. The total blood in the human body ranges between a gallon and a quarter and a gallon and a half, circulating through the body once every minute.

6 – What is the thickness of the nerve fibers in the human body?

The psychologists say that the diameter of the nerves equals 4/1000 of an inch.

7 – If the blood vessels could be joined one to another, how long would they be?

The blood channels reach fifty feet. But the fine capillary arteries, each of which is 10/1000 of an inch in diameter, extend to sixty-two thousand miles.

8 – Does sleeping on the stomach prevent snoring?

Yes — but not for long, and not because of the bent position you take during sleep; rather it is the change from one position to another that helps. The doctors say that snoring occurs when the muscles are relaxed, so that the breath passes across the soft roof of the mouth, and the little fringe at the back of the throat flutters as a flag flutters in the wind. Snoring stops when you change your sleeping position, owing to the temporary tensing of the muscles and the disturbance of the breath; but it soon returns again when the muscles go back to their relaxation.