Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-07-01

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would astonish his professors
did you ever ask him what he was
going in for?' / asked
mo; he is not man that is easy to
draw out, though he can be commune
cative enough when the fancy seizes
him."
Il should like to meet him." I said.
If I am to lodge with any one I should
| prefer a man of SJudious and quiet
habits. | am not strong enough yet to
stand much noise or excitement. Ihad
| enough of both in Afghanistan to last
me the remainder Of my natural ex-
istence How could 1 meet this friend
Of yours?"
'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" I answered; and the con-
versation drifted away into other chan
nels.
AS we made our way to the hospital
gave me few more particulars about
! the gentleman whom [ proposed to
! take as a fellow-lOdger.
! U1USlu DlulilC HE IL you OC1I I
| get on with him. he said; Il know
nothing more Of him than [ have learn
ed from meeting him occasionally in
the laboratory. You proposed this ar
rangement, so you must not hold me
responsible"
IF we don't get on it will be easy
to part company" I answered. 1T
seems to me- Stamford added, look
ing hard at my companion, that you
/ have some reason for washing your
hands Of the matter Is this fellows
temper so formidable, or what is it?
Don't be mcaly-mouthed about it,
''It is not easy to express the mex
pressible," he answered, with laugh.
Holmes is a little to scientific for my
tastes-it approaches to cold-blooded-
ness. could imagine his giving friend
a pinch of the latest vegetable alllaloid,
not out Of malevOlence, you understand,
but simply out of a spirit Of inquiry
in order to have an accurate idea of
the effects. To do him justice, I think
that he would take it hims al9 Sgaea the
same readiness. He appears to have
q passion for definite and exact lnoWl-
edge"
VERY right, too"
Eyes; but it may be pushed to eX-
cess. When it comes to beating the
subjects in the dissecting rooms with a
stick, it is certainly taking rather a
bizarre shape"
Beating the subjects"
Eyes, to verify how far bruises may
be produced after death. 1 saw him
at it with my own eyes!''
''And yet you say he is not medical
student?''
mo. Heaven knows what the OBJ
jects of his duties are. But here we
are, and you must form your own i'm
pressions about him AS he spoke
we turned down q narrow lane and
passed through a small side door which
opened into Il wing Of the great hos
pital. 1t was familiar ground to me,
and I needed no guiding as we ascend
ed the bleak, stone staircase anG made
our way down the long corridor with
its vista Of Whitewashed walls and dim
cOlOred doors Near the farther end
a low, arched passage Dranched away
from it and led to the chemical labor
atory
This was lofty chamber, lined and
Uttered with countless bottles. Broad,
low tables were scattered about, which
bristled with retOrtS, teSt-tubes and lit
tie Bunsen lamps, with their blue,
Pickering 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 a cry Of pleasure. I've found
it! I've found it:'' he shouted to my
companion, running toward us with
test tube in his hand. Il have found
a reagent which is precipitated by haze
moglobin, and by nothing else" Had
he discovered a gold mine, greater de
light could not have shown upon his
features.
CDR. Watson-Mr. Sherlock Holiness -
said Stamford, introducing IS.
GLOW are you?" he said, cordially,
gripping my hand with Il strength
for which [ should hardly have given
him credit You have been in Afghan
istan, I perceive"
"How on earth did you know that?'
I asked. in astonishment.
''Never mind" said he, chuckling to
himself. 1.-The question now is about
haemoglobin. Ne doubt you see the
significance of this discovery of mine1''
1T is interesting, chemically, no
doubt" 1 answered; but practically
"Why, man, it is the most practical
medio-legal discovery for years. Don't
you see that it gives us an infallIbie
test for blood-stains? Come over here,
noww He seized me by the coat sleeve
in his eagerness, and drew ne over to
the table at which he had been work
ing. Let us have some fresh blood,
he said, digging a long bodkfn into his
finger and drawing off the resulting
drop of blood in chemical pipette.
Now, I add this small quantity of
blood to litre of water. You per-
ceive that the resulting mixture has
tie appearance of pure water The
proportion of blood cannot be more
than one in billion. I have no doubt,
however, that we shall be able to OBJ
tain the characteristic reaction" AS
he spoke he threw into the vessel 4
few white crystals, and tn N added
some drops of a transparent fluid. In
an instant the contents assumed dull
mahogany color, and Il browlish dust
was precipitated to the bottom Of the
glass jar.
"Ha. ha!" he cried, clapping lis