ABOUT THIS MONTH

September 

     September gets its name from Latin septem, meaning 'seven'. The oldest known Roman calendar had only ten months, starting from March, and September was originally the seventh month of the year. With the inclusion of January and February, September became the ninth month, but retained its original name.

     Every year, September starts on the same day of the week as December. But another unique feature of this month is that it does not end on the same day of the week as any other month in the year. Take a calendar and check for yourself!

FIRST NATIONAL PARK OF INDIA

 Jim corbett National Park

     India's first national park, the Jim corbett National Park is located in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. It was set up in 1936 by the British under the United Provinces National Parks Act and was originally named Hailey National Park after Sir Malcolm Hailey, the united Provinces governor who was instrumental in developing the area as a reserve. After independence it was rechristened Ramganga National Park after the river flowing through it. In 1957, it was renamed in honour of the legendary hunter-turned conservationist, Col. Jamed Edward Corbett (1875 - 1955), better known as Jim Corbett, who played a key role in its establishment. 

     Intended as a sanctuary for the endangered Royal Bengal tiger, the park was the first to come under the Project Tiger initiative. In fact, it is here that Project Tiger was launched in 1973.

     Famed for its astonishing beauty and wildlife, the park is spread out over an area of 520 square kilometres in the valley of the Ramganga river and its tributaries in the Terai forests in the foothills of the Himalayas. Its diverse landscape consists of hills, marshy depressions, grasslands and lakes. It is part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, an area of 1288.31 square kilometres extending over three districts of Nainital, Almora and Pauri Garhwal that also includes the Sonanadi wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve Forest.

     The park is home to numerous species of wildlife including mammals such as the tiger, leopard, barking deer, sambar deer, Himalayan black bear, Indian grey mongoose, Indian pangolin and rhesus macaque, and more than 500 species of resident and migratory birds including the crested serpent eagle and blossom-headed parakeet.

A CAREER IN

 Plastic surgery

     Plastic surgery is really an art, and the body is the medium to work with. It involves a lot of creativity and technology. The work result is highly visible, leading to a high degree of career and personal satisfaction.

What’s this career about?: Contrary to popular belief, a plastic surgeon does much more than simple tummy tucks, and facelifts. Plastic surgery can be divided into two specialties: Cosmetic (or Aesthetic) Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery. Cosmetic Surgery is intended to improve the appearance of a person. Though relatively a small part of the specialty, it is probably the most visible and perhaps the most glamorous aspect of plastic surgery. Surgeons use a variety of equipment ranging from simple forceps and scissors to most sophisticated microprocessor-controlled lasers, which can resurface and tighten the skin, remove hair, and eliminate tiny “spider” veins on the legs and face.

     Reconstructive Surgery repairs or replaces body parts damaged by accidents, illness or malformation. It is intended to improve function and mobility and to restore a patient’s appearance. These surgeons use craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, skin grafting, tissue expansion, flap surgery and other techniques to repair injuries.

     Prior to treatment, surgeons hold consultation with patients to assess a patient’s needs, review medical histories and pre-existing conditions, and discuss surgical risks. Frank and thorough assessments help plastic Plastic surgeons choose treatment plans that best suit their patients.

     Recording a patient’s medical history and updating their records with any services performed is another key responsibility. These are sensitive documents, so plastic surgeons must abide by any record-keeping policies or regulations to protect patient confidentially. surgeons don’t specialize in a disease like cancer doctors do, nor do they specialize in a part of the body like heart surgeons do. They work all over the body on all kinds of diseases and frequently with other physicians in a multi-disciplinary group. 

How do I get there?: Plastic surgeons are medical doctors trained in patient interactions, trauma care and basic surgery techniques, as well as specialized areas, such as tissue transfer, body contouring and laser surgery.

     To become a plastic surgeon, one should first go for MBBS, a 5½ years’ course. Eligibility for this is 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Then go for a MS degree in General Surgery. After that you can specialize in plastic surgery by doing 3 years M.Ch./DNB in Plastic Surgery. So it takes about 11-12 years of further study after 10+2.

Do you have these key skills?

* Steady hand and an eye for aesthetics.

* Driven and focused individuals. 

* Ability to sustain many years of study and long work hours. 

* Good communication skills to explain complex medical terminology and procedures to patients and to provide emotional support.

* Attention to detail and patience is paramount. Good time management and organizational skills.

*Ability to handle stressful situations and remain calm under pressure.

Institutes:

* All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (aiims.edu)

* Armed Forces Medical College, Pune (afmc.nic.in)

* Christian Medical College, Vellore (cmch-vellore.edu)

* Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai (tnmcnair.com)

* Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai (sriramachandra.edu.in)

* CMC, Ludhiana (cmcludhiana.in)

* Institute for Aesthetic Surgery at Fortis Hospitals, Mumbai (fortishealthcare.com)

* M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore (msrmc.ac.in)

* Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh (pgimer.edu.in)

* Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi (bhu.ac.in/ims)

Pay package:

Being a plastic surgeon is one of the most moneyearning spheres in the field of medicine but the path to becoming a qualified and successful specialist is a long and tough one.

     Depending upon the location, specialization, expertise and experience of the plastic surgeon, salary ranges from 1,50,000-2,00,000 per month. Some charge on a per case basis.

Employment profile:

Plastic surgery is still a relatively small specialty, but the number of surgeons has doubled in the last 20 years and it has become an integral part of hospital practice. One can work in any super-specialty hospital or set up one’s own clinic.

     The increasing number of accidents and awareness about appearance has resulted in a boom in the demand for plastic surgeons. The aging population is also expected to add to the demand for surgeons for plastic surgery procedures both superficial and invasive.

SPREAD YOUR WINGS OF CONFIDENCE

 Achieve your goal in ife

     This was an important day for the eaglets. They were preparing for their first solo flight from the nest. It was the confidence builder many of them needed to fulfil their destiny. 

     "How far can I travel?" asked one of the eaglets.

     "How far can you see?" responded the master Eagle.

     "How high can I fly?" quizzed the young eaglet.

     "How far can you stretch your wings?" asked the old eagle.

     "How long can I fly?" the eaglet persisted.

     "How far is the horizon?" the mentor rebounded.

     "How much should I dream?" asked the eaglet.

     "How much can you dream?" smiled the older, wiser eagle.

     "How much can I achieve?" the young eagle continued.

     "How much can you believe?" the old eagle challenged.

     Frustrated by the banter, the young eagle demanded, "Why don't you answer my questions?"

     "I did. No one can tell you how high to fly or how much to dream. It's different for each eagle. Only God and you know how far you will go. No one on this earth knows your potential or what's in your heart. You alone will answer that. The only thing that limits you is the edge of your imagination." Puzzled by this, the young eagle asked, "What should I do?"

     "Look to the horizon, spread your wings, and fly. 

TRADITIONAL HAND-CARVED JAPANESE DOLLS

  Kokeshi dolls

     Traditional hand-carved Japanese dolls made from cherry wood, maple wood or dogwood are known as Kokeshi. The dolls have no arms or legs and have an enlarged head. The body has a floral design in black, red or yellow. The eyes, nose and mouth are thin painted lines. The doll is finished with a glossy layer of wax. 

     Kokeshi were first made by potters in the Tohoku region in Japan. Tohoku was famous for its mineral springs. The technique spread to other spa towns between the 17th and 19th centuries.

     There are eleven types of traditional Kokeshi depending on the patterns, shapes and techniques of making. The most popular style is Naruko, originating from the town where a Kokeshi festival is held every September. Old dolls are burned here on a pyre in a moving ritual.

SUPERSTITIONS

Friday the 13th 

     Many people around the world dread the sixth day of the week and the number 13. They get paranoid if the Friday falls on the 13th of the month. There’s even a name to describe those who have an irrational fear of Friday the 13th : paraskevidekatriaphobics.

     In the UK, many people don’t drive on this day. In the US, there are people who won’t go to work on Friday the 13th. Some won’t eat out in restaurants and almost no one gets married on this day. Some American cities skip a 13th Avenue or a 13th Street. Many hotels skip from 12th to the 14th floor, which of course means that the 14th floor is actually the 13th floor. A name with 13 letters is believed to have the devil’s luck – like Jack the Ripper. And if 13 people sit down for dinner together, all are said to die within the year. In India too, many people consider 13 to be inauspicious.

     Friday is named after Goddess Frigga, the most important Scandinavian goddess but the day is considered unlucky in some cultures. Formerly, British sailors often refused to set sail on a Friday. It is said that the British ship H.M.S. Friday was commissioned on a Friday. Captained by J. Friday, it set off on its maiden voyage on a Friday and, disappeared forever. 

     There are many people, however, for whom Friday and the number 13 are lucky. Novelist Charles Dickens reportedly began the writing of all his books on a Friday, the day of his birth. Some point to the nearly catastrophic Apollo mission to the moon in 1970 as evidence that the number 13 is unlucky.

       But these are superstitions, and they arise out of fear and co-incidence!

DO YOU KNOW

 Why tyres are always black in colour?

     Originally car tyres were white, which is the natural colour of rubber out of which they’re made. 

     In the early 1900s, it was discovered that adding carbon black to rubber increased the durability and strength of the material. So about 50 percent (by weight) of carbon black began to be added to the rubber, and black tyres began to roll out of  the companies.     

     Perhaps a way could have been found to make them white even after the addition of carbon but everybody found that black tyres were easier to keep clean than white tyres and tyres have remained black ever since.