Page:Bassetts scrap book 1907 03-1909 02.djvu/56

274 It is not known who first wore a straw hat, but it is interesting to note that they were first heard of in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Possibly they were worn before that, but the poets and writers of her day are the first to mention this form of headdress. Spenser, who was the Poet Laureate of the "Virgin Queen," speaks of "some plaid with straws." In the reign of James I. we learn of Lord William Howard paying the then large sum of £3 6s. for two straw hats; while Queen Anne and her great ladies were addicted to Leghorn chips, which, indeed, were car- ried into overwhelming popularity on the lovely heads of those famous beauties, the Misses Gun- ning. Welcome straw-hat time. One of the commonest causes assigned for death is "heart failure." As a matter of fact this tells nothing, for heart failure may result from widely various causes. In order to systematize the nomen- clature of maladies the Bertillon classification is be- ing rapidly adopted by public health authorities throughout the country. In this system fatal dis- eases are divided into 14 general classes, and imme- diate causes of death are numbered from i up to 179. Lord Lister, the distinguished British surgeon, who recently joined the grand army of octogenari- ans, in court circles is known as "Lord Deliverus." This nickname comes from his having enjoyed the distinction of being present at the birth of. every prince and princess in Great Britain for more than