Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-02-02

L
"a medical student, / suppose?" said
!.
"No-I have no idea what he intends
to go in for. believe he is well up in
ANATOMY, and he is a frst-class
chemist; but. as far as know, he has
| never taken out any systematic medi-
| cal classes, His studies are very
| desultory and eccentric, but he has
| amassed a lot of out-of-the-way
| knowledge which would astonish his
! professors"
Ibid you never ask him what he was
| going in for?' asked.
mo; he is not man that it is easy
| to draw out, though he can be COM
| municative enough when the fancy
seizes him"
81 should like to meet him." said.
"If | am to lodge with anyone, |
should prefer a man with studlous and
quiet habits. | am not strong enough
vet to stand much noise or excitement
. / had enough of both in Afghanistan
to last me for the remainder of my
natural existence. How could | meet
I this friend of yours?"
I "He is sure to be at the laboratory.
He either avoids the place for weeks,
or else he works there from morning
to night. If you like, we shall drive
round together after luncheon"
Certainly" l answered, and the
! conversation drifted away into other
channels.
! AS we made our way to the hospital
after leaving the Holborn, Stamford
gave me few more particulars about
{ the gentleman whom / proposed to
| take as fellow lodger.
"You mustn't blame me if you don't
get on with him." he said; 81 know
| nothing more of him than / have
learned from meeting him occasional
| ly in the laboratory. You proposed
this arrangement, so youmust not hold
me responsible"
''If we don't get on it will be easy to
part company" l answered. at seems
! to me, Stamford" | added, looking
hard at my companion, that you have
some reason for washing your hands
I of the matter. Is this fellows tempe r
so formidable, or what is it? Don't be
mealy-mouthed about it."
J - lOO easy " ~ Coo lAAO INA
pressible,'' he answered, with a laugh.
"Holmes is little too scientific for my
tastes-it approaches to cold-blooded-
ness. could imagine his giving a
friend little pinch of the latest vege-
table alkaloid not out of malevolence,
you understand, but simply out of
spirit of inquiry in order to have an
accurate idea of the effects. To do
| him justice, think that he would take
| it himself with the same readiness. He
appears to have a passion for definite
and exact knowledge"
Very right, too"
Yes; but it may be pushed to ex-
cess. When it comes to beating the
subjects in the dissecting-rooms with
| stick it is certainly taking rather q
bizarre shape"
Beating the subjectsr
"Yes, to verify how far bruises may
be produced after death. saw him at
it with my own eyes"
! "And yet you say he is not a medical
student?"
mo. Heaven knows what the OBJ
! jects of his studies arel But here we
are, and you must form your own i'm
pressions about him AS he spoke we
turned down a narrow lane and passed
through small side door which
opened into wing of the great hos
pital It was familiar ground to me
and | needed no guiding as we as
eended the bleak stone staircase and
made our way down the long corridor
with it's vista of whitewashed wall and
dun-colored doors. Near the farther
end low, arched passage branched
away from it and led to the chemical
laboratory.
This was lofty chamber, lined and
Uttered with countless bottles. Broad,
low tables were scattered about, which
bristled with retorts, test-tubes and
little Bunsen lamps, with their blue
flickering flames. There was only one
student in the room, who was bending
over a distant table absorbed in his
work At the sound of our steps he
glanced round and sprang to his feet
with cry of pleasure. I've found it!
I've found it, he shouted to my COM
panion, running toward us with test
tube in his hand. Il have found a
TeapenL WHICH ID pIeCI plldC CSu OJ
hemoglobin. and by nothing else. y
Had he discovered gold mine, great
er delight could not have shone upon
his features.
"Dr Watson-Mr. Sherlock Holmes,
said Stamford introducing us.
How are you?" he said, cordially
gripping my hand with a strength fol
which should hardly have given him
credit You have been in Afghanis
tan, perceive"
How on earth did you know that?''
asked, in astonishment.
Never mind" said he, chuckling tc
himself. THE question now is about
hemoglobin. No doubt you see the
significance of this discovery Of
mine?"
at is interesting, chemically, nc
doubt" answered.; but practically
-
"Why, man. it is the most practical
medico-legal discovery for years.
Don't you see that it gives us an in
fallible test for blood-stains? Come