The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-08-14
CURIOUS AND soIENrIFIc.


THE danger of using chloroform to
allf viste the pain in case of headache
or toothache, as is often done, is shown
by sad accident occurring in Louis
Vile. A young girl, suffering from
headache. became so affected by chic
reform as to be unable to remove the
bottle. and she was found dead with
the bottle lying on her breast.
A NOVEL use of the telegraph is soon
to be put into operation in New York.
The courtroom IN the city are to be
GEOGRAPHICALLY connected with the
offices of the leading lawyers, and by
this means the state of the calendar
and the progress of trials can be sn-
nounced to the lawyers, and the latter
summoned when wanted. The tele-
graph IN this respect promises to be
quite as useful as it is ON the stock ex-
chnge or IN business circles.
HoosAcK TuNNEL-In the central
section of the Hoosac Tunnel the bench
has all been removed and fifty work
men discharged. In the east-end sec
ton .. 500 feet of twelve-inch Scotch
drain pipe has been laid and covered.
The excavation has been made for
to be built at point about a mile from
the eastern portal, and the laying of
brick will be commenced this week.
All cross ties needed between the east
end central shaft have been delivered,
and it is believed that the track will be
laid in the month of August.
TIE French Bishop of Canton has
Just sent to the Jardin d 'Acclimation, at
Paris, plant whose flower changes
color three times day. 1t is spoken
of as another wonderful evidence of
Chinese art in leading nature out of her
her customary paths. 1t is not more
remarkable than floral freak of South
ern Australia, beautiful flower, SINH
Nth ffh "a ave ' streaks Of Color on It's bell
shaped calyx. In the early morning
the color streaks are pale blue. Toward
noon they turn to a rich purple tint,
which changes to a light pink during
the afternoon. As the day declines, the
color fades, disappearing entirely after
sunset, when the flower closes and dies.
A CORRESPONDENT of Land and Water
calls attention to the singular preva-
lence of blindness in salmon in the
York River, which flows into the Gulf
of st. Lawrence at Gaspe, the extreme
eastward point of Canada proper. In
some instances fish have been taken that
are totally blind, both eyes being Gov
cred with hard, Opaque scale, while in
others one eye only is thus affected ;
again, some have their eyes apparently
sloughing away. So complete Is the
blindness that man may drop down in
q bark canoe right over the fish, and
chip him out with a gaf. The York
River Is a very clean bottomed and clear
stream, and it is now frequent occur
renee to observe a large fish lying in
precisely the same spot at the tail of a
pool. seldom in the strong water, day
after day, and never stirring, though q
fly be passed over and under his nose.
The number of these fish is apparently
on the increase every year. They are
all from twenty-five to twenty-eighi
ponds weight, and have a dull, white
appearance, though in fair condition.
Many seem to be old fish.
THAT crows and other species of birds
have little fear of man when he is I'm.
armed is a familiar fact, and suggests
that they fear him because of the
weapons he carries. In Scotland. where
shooting was prohibited on Sunday,
crows and rocks were gentle and fed
around buildings without concern.
Singularly enough, the same thing was
observed of animals by DIR. Tristram
swhen travelling in the wilderness oil
Moab, where the sound of the gun is
quite rare. He says We were struck
with the sagacity which all the wild ami
mails showed in the matter of firearms,
little familiar as they can be wi b them
here. As it was Sunday, we strolled OF
sat down among tire ruins without our
fowling pieces, and were consequently
objects of Indifference. fine fox sal
and looked at us a dozen times among
the stone-heaps. and just walked away,
keeping almost within gunshot all the
afternoon. The Sakkr falcon sat calmly
on his favorite perch, and allowed us to
reconnoiter him on Sunday, while the
eagle, owls, sand grouse and partridge
showed similar contempt for unarmed
Europeans"