The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-10-20 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE BEAST-TAMER AND TIIE BEAST.—In travelling menagerie which was about to exhibit it a fair at Mulhansen • few days since a nipw beast tamer entered tlfe cage of a panther, but had scarcely touched the animal when it sprang at his throat. The rcifen ' ' dropped 'his rod, and seining the animal with both % hands, squeezed its throat till be forced it to loose its hold. They then both fell together, but the panther being the more active was first up, and buried its fangs in the man's neck. The keepers hastened to the spot, but their blows only made the animal more furious. At length they dashed a bucket of water over it. and elrere enabled to withdraw the unfortunate tamer, who was insensible. lie was conveyed to the hospital, but although he is seriously wounded there are hopes of his recovery. CHOLERA AMONG Doug—The " Pungolo " of Naples states that the dogs in that neighbourhood have been suffering from a malady which resembles cholera in its symptom., but have been cured by their swallowing a certain earth, which they seek for instinctively. That phenomenon is now the object of a study by the medical men of the city, to ascertain the properties by which such a result is obtained. A letter from Foggia also mentions that marvellous effects have been produced by the use of a decoction of To, dreary in attacks of cholera. A PRACTICAL JokE.—A crowd of people was last week seen collected together on one of the Paris quays, eagerly scanning a garret window of one of the houses. Whispers and murmurs grew louder, and the crowd increased rapidly. At the window were observed the legs of a woman dangling and swaying to and fro, and it was clear that • crime had been committed or a suicide had taken place in the room. The guardwas sent for, and took ooservations, coming to the conclusion of the crowd. So they proceeded to the room, and as no response was given from within, forced Open the door, finding tnemselven in the room of a young sculptor, and that the leirn dangling at the window were beautiful plaster of Paris legs of a female hung up to dry. The mare's nest in every sense canned considerable hilarity below, and at the expense, of course, of the sergens-de-ville. THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH .—Mr . George Cruikshank has contributed the following on the discovery and introduction of the electric telegraph:— The discovery arose, I believe, from the circumstance of Mr. Wneetstone, when first appointed lecturir at liirg's College, having seven miles of wire Ic the lower part of that building which abuts upon the river Thames, for the purpose of measuring the speed of lightning, or the electric current, and upon one occasion, when explaining his n apedmerts to me, he said,—" I intend one day to lay sonic of this wire across the bed of the Thames, and to carry it up to the top of the shot tower on the other Ms, and so make signals," and this was, I believe, the first idea or suggestion of a submarine telegraph. We are also indebted to Mr. Wheatstone for the electric bell, for long before this telegraph came belore the public, hi explalulng the machinery to me, he said, as it was possible that one party might he asleep at one end if the wire, he had so arranged the working that the first touch should ring a bell at the other end. even If th, *amide of miles apart This, it will be admitted, is an important part of the discovery, and therefore I am sure that everyone will feel that the man who has done such wonder, for the public advantage in Introducing such instant connininicaticu with the wide, wide world" well dest eves the !minims and rewards which your correspondent and yourself have suggested should be conferred upon my old and highly esteemed. friend.  1 lIKATMENT OF