Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2018 February 12

= February 12 =

When does flu season end
When does flu season usually end in the US?--User777123 (talk) 03:41, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * See Flu season. DMacks (talk) 03:51, 12 February 2018 (UTC)

Epidemiology question
During the Middle Ages, was there seasonal variation in the number of black plague infections? If so, what time of year were they most prevalent? 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:0:0:0:64DA (talk) 10:18, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * This article seems to indicate that medieval black death mortality peaked during the summer months. -- Jayron 32 12:11, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Thanks! That would make sense -- people moved about and mingled more during summer, and also rats were more active. 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:0:0:0:64DA (talk) 13:21, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * But see also Black Death was caused by humans not rats, says study. Computer modelling reveals human fleas and body lice are most likely vector of devastating first outbreak of plague (Jan 2018). Alansplodge (talk) 19:09, 12 February 2018 (UTC)

What does it mean "Drugs of reflex action on coronary {coronal] vessels"?
I found this term ("Drugs of reflex action on coronar vessels") on this book (P.185) and I have no idea what it is. Obviously I googled and there are no results for this term. I thought maybe it is known in other name / term which you may know. I googled also "drugs of reflex action" and I found a few results which don't really explain what it is. What is it? 185.191.178.183 (talk) 12:52, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Coronar vessels is clearly a typographical error; it means coronary vessels. The section is discussing the methods of action of anti-anginal drugs, and the drug validolum is the one mentioned in that section.  -- Jayron 32 13:31, 12 February 2018 (UTC)


 * The whole thing is written in poor English. It is full of statements that are incomprehensible to anybody except an expert who already knows what they mean. If you want to learn, I recommend reading something else. Looie496 (talk) 14:43, 12 February 2018 (UTC)

Unknown crop of Yunnan, China
Which crop is this? Thank you so much.--United States of Russia (talk) 22:41, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Tobacco? Heaviside glow (talk) 22:47, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Here's a picture labeled tobacco:File:Nicotiana Tobacco Plants 1909px.jpg Looks very similar. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:26, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Agree, it looks very like the stuff I've seen in Andorra. Dmcq (talk) 12:35, 13 February 2018 (UTC)


 * Yunnan is apparently the largest tobacco growing area in China . Mikenorton (talk) 12:20, 14 February 2018 (UTC)

Dietary Salt
According to some sources, prior to WWII people used to consume a lot more salt. I was wondering if anybody has a source that actually shows the amounts of dietary salt consumed historically. Actual figures, not just estimates. Thanks, Heaviside glow (talk) 22:49, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * According to this it varied widely in different societies. For example in the Victorian era it varied from 18 grams a day in Europe to 100 grams in Sweden. It also tells you why it varied so much and discusses the factors that cause us to become habituated to high salt consumption. Richerman  (talk) 23:25, 12 February 2018 (UTC)
 * People used a lot more mineral salt in cooking at that time - but they didn't eat the modern processed foods which already have a lot of salt added. That makes it very difficult to compare the actual amounts of salt in diets. Wymspen (talk) 01:09, 13 February 2018 (UTC)
 * I highly recommend the book Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. You will come away with a much deeper understanding of the importance of something as simple as salt to human civilization. Cullen328  Let's discuss it  06:26, 13 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Salt was mainly used for food conservation till 1950. Refrigerators where a rare luxury Kitchen utility befor 1940. --Kharon (talk) 22:39, 13 February 2018 (UTC)
 * A poisonous food preservative that causes heart disease and strokes. Count Iblis (talk) 04:20, 14 February 2018 (UTC)
 * So, no source that tracks a population over time? Heaviside glow (talk) 22:03, 14 February 2018 (UTC)