FROM OUR ARCHIVES

5 YEARS AGO

A new study has found that the lung health of Scots cystic fibrosis sufferers drastically improved after singing lessons.

Scottish Opera has been working with patients from the respiratory ward at Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow to explore whether classical techniques, including breath control and vocal exercises, could replicate the effects of conventional physiotherapy.

After 12 weeks the maximum amount of air that can be forced out in one second rose by up to 13 per cent in patients.

10 YEARS AGO

A seven-year old girl who was confined to a wheelchair with a crippling motor neuron disease can walk again after becoming the first person in Scotland to receive a pioneering form of brain implant. Lucy Russell, from Bellshill in Lanarkshire, walked for the first time in six months after being treated by a process known as deep brain stimulation (DBS), which involves the implantation of a pulse-generating device. She underwent the surgery on January 20, less than 12 months after she started developing symptoms of dystonia.

25 YEARS AGO

Campaigners yesterday won the backing of a leading scientist in their fight to stop the construction of pylons across Ayrshire to carry electricity to Northern Ireland. Opponents of Scottish Power’s scheme to erect 200 pylons across 40 miles of countryside expressed fears that it will create serious health risks, amount to environmental vandalism, damage tourism, and bring no benefits to anyone other than the company. Research has indicated that some who lived near pylons were more vulnerable to cancer and heart disease.

50 YEARS AGO

There were 2450 personal incomes of more than £10,000 a year in Scotland in 1966-67, and of these 401 exceeded £20,000, according to the annual report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. In the income range £3000 to £10,000 there were 19,240 or about 1 per cent of incomes taxed in Scotland. In Scotland, 56.3 per cent of incomes were under £1000 a year compared with 52.6 per cent in England. Incomes between £1000 and £3000 made up 42.6 per cent of the total in Scotland and 46.2 per cent in England.

100 YEARS AGO

An award of the Court of Arbitration as to the wage of women workers in the engineering, foundry, and shipbuilding trades has just been issued. An application was made on their behalf on January 21 before the Court for an advance of wages equal to that which has been given to the men during the war period. The result of the hearing us that women are awarded an advance of 6 s per week from the first full day in January. This will affect all the industries connected with the unions and the award is retrospective in its application.