LATE CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1932, Page 6

LATE CABLE NEWS

DETERMINING SEX

HUMAN FREAK'S

LONDON, Feb. 8

A new discovery which may throw a t’l-esh light on. the determination of sex has been made, :a s the result of work at Charing Cross Hospital. A high medical authority made the disclosure, in expressing his opinion oil the case of a child, iiving ait. a South Coast resort, who i*.vas certified at birth, in 1917, to be a female, and has now, at the age of 14 14 been, declared to be a male. The first hint came at the age of 13, when the child developed a voice of different timbre. School health authorities consulted a specialist, and it was then revealed that the "girl” was growing into s, boy, and developing a deep bass voice.

Medical experts state that there have been a number of cases in which girls, who were normal females up to a certain age, suddenly developed into males. There arc also cases 'on which it is almost impossible to determine sex at birth. These changes are rare in '.he human race, but are quite common among certain animals, particularly that of a hen changing into a cockerel. The change is frequent in pigs, and sometimes occurs in cattle, but very rarely in horses.

GRAFT SENSATION

BIG BILE’S CABINET

CHICAGO, Feb. 8.

Three former officials of “Big Bill” Thompson’s Cabinet have been sentenced to terms of up to five years' imprisonment for graft involving £1,000,000. Timothy Crowe, president of the Sanitary Board, was sentenced to five years ; John Miller* former superintendent of •Industries and 'Structures, to six months, with a fine of £400; and Martin Edelstein to three months, with a similar fine. NEW AERIAL TERROR. BRITISH FIGHTING ’PLANE. LONDON, Feb. 8. —War—seven miles above the earth is envisaged by the production of the Vickers’ “Jockey,” an all-metal inter-ceptor-fighting ’plane. The “Jockey.” equipped with two machine guns, and described as a winged projectile, capable of a speed of nearly four miles a minute, is now undergoing final trials at Brook-lands.

It will operate 'in the rarefied atmosphere between 13,000 and 36,000 feet, repelling raiders. Its engine is a supeicharged '630 h.p. “Mercury,” giving full power at 15,800 ft at a speed of 238 miles an hour, compared to its sea-level speed of 183 miles an hour. The pilot will be equipped with oxygen apparatus, and specially .electrically-heated clothing and cockpit. ■Schneider engineers are experimenting with a new anti-aircraft gun, which, it is claimed, will bring down bombers from a height of 39.600 feet, states a Marseilles mesage.

Ahti-aireraft guns previously have proved effective at 17,000 feet.

In the present experiments an -aeroplane ascended to 39,000 feet, towing a target 1000 ft below, at which the guns fired.