Quails’ eggs and other stories . . .

Quails’ eggs are being used to train juniors in endoscopic endonasal surgery. Slow boiled eggs are embedded in the orbit or attached to the lateral wall of the maxillary sinus in a physical sinus model created from synthetic materials. The stiffness of the eggshell membrane acts as the periorbit. Surgical procedure testing determined that eggshell resection involving inaccurate drilling or peeling with curettes can rupture the eggshell membrane, which in turn leads to protrusion of egg white—mimicking extrusion of orbital fat from periorbital injury (Laryngoscope 2012;122:2154-7, doi:10.1002/lary.23399).

Most of the older population in the United Kingdom cannot cross a pedestrian crossing in the time required (Age and Ageing 2012;41:690-4, doi:10.1093/ageing/afs076). The walking speed of 3145 adults older than 65 years was assessed by a timed walk of eight feet at their normal pace. Researchers found that 84% of men and 93% of women walked slower than 1.2 m/s, the speed required for safe crossing. This assumed …