Scott M. Theobald, age 12, of Salt Lake City, Utah, for his question:

What exactly is frostbite?

By frost we mean temperatures low enough to freeze water. It so happens that most living cells are filled with watery liquids and lower than normal temperatures can freeze them solid. When fragile plant foliage is exposed to frost, icy crystals form inside their cells. They act like tiny daggers and gash the delicate walls of cells and veins. This breaks down the organized activity in the tissue. The foliage turns black, withers and dies.

The same sort of thing happens when human bodies are exposed to frost for a period of time. Small blood vessels and soft tissues suffer damage somewhat like burns. Old timers advised us to massage frost bitten fingers and toes with snow. But scientists recently discovered a much safer method. They recommend soaking our frostbites in water that is warmer than the normal body temperature. After a while, the tepid bath may be warmed to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This brings back circulating blood with nutrients to' start the healing processes in the frost burned tissues.