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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 987, 8 April 1871, Page 2

The Medical Times, writing on the treatment of typhoid fever, says : —rf the body can be sustained until the fever has gone its coarse, health "will result. Milk, of all things, seems best adapted for this purpose ; for it is digestible, is relished by fever patients, and (ontains all the requisite material for the nourishment of the entire body —the nervous system in especial, which in fever is always greatly affected. Thus by interdicting tjie use of water in toto throughout the fever, nourishment can always, be gi v en in the shape of cold new milk. Cold beef tea is by no means to be despised,' but is much less relished, and not unfiequently loathed, when the fever is intense, while milk is then taken with much gusto., We extract the following respecting a new gun-carriage fLom a late issue of the London Globe :—We understand there is some idea of forming-.mitrail-leuse camel batteries in India. The gun is to be mounted on and fired from the camel's back, the latter kneeling down at the word " action " This reminds us of a story connected with the Ordnance Select Committee. It was proposed to fire mountain guns off the baf-ks of the mules that carried them. It was urged that this would obviate the necessity of dismounting the gun from the mule's back and mounting it on its carriage; a mountain battery could thus come into action in far less time. This proposal was warmly taken up by the committee, who pro-, ceeded to test its feasibility. A mule or donkey was procured, and a small gun strapped firmly to a cradle resting on the pack-saddle, so that the xnuzzte

of the weapon pointed over the donkey's fail. The animal was led into the marshes at Woolwich, accompanied bv the committee and seveial " big wigs" who were attracted by .such a novel experiment On arrival at the butt the gun was loaded, the donkey was turned with his tail towards the earthen mound, and the usual preparations were made for tiring by means of a lan yard and friction tube. One of the committee remarked that this mode of firing might possibly derange the aim by the jerk on pulling the lanyard. A discussion followed, and it was finally arranged to fire the gun by a piece of slow match tied to the vent. This was accordingly done, and the match was ignited. Hitherto the don key had taken rather a sleepy interest in the proceedings, hut the fizzing of the match on his back caused him first to prick up his ears, then to lay them back, and finally to begin to turn round. The committee were thunderstruck, and " .skedaddled'' in all directions; the secretary threw himself flat on his face; there was a moment oi agonising suspense, then—bang--the shot went ricochetting away in one di rection, while the wretched donkey turned a complete somersault in the other.

A late Madrid letter to the London Times contains the following sketch : "The young King of Spain is winning the hearts of all by his simplicity, generosity, and good nature. On Monday he to«.k possession of his Palace. Un Tuesday 1 e sent away all the cannon in front of it, and all the guards except fifty. The dinner carte of twenty-four dishes he has cut down to four, and he has stjut up half the apartments in the Palace destined for the use of the Royal Family. He refuses to he driven tvith more than two horses, or with more accompaniment than an outrider in front, and a lackey behind, with but one or two of his adjutants inside with him. Fearfully cold as it is, and has been, he insists on an open carriage. He rises .early. The first morning he called for his breakfast at ready. The major-domo told him they had not expected His Majesty would breakfast till eleven or twelve. Off goes the King, with one adjutant, to the Hotel de Paris and breakfasts there ! He orders the Palace gates to be locked and the lights put out at midnight. He himself, so far, has retired to re«rt at ten. These nn-royal habits—or, 1 may better say, un-Spanish habits (for here the natives breakfast at eleven, and go to bed when the cock crows) ■— are creating great astonishment. He has had one or iwo receptions of officials, at which he has abolished the hand-kissing ol royalty for the hand shaking of democracy. What the Mrs Grundys of England will say to this I know not. He yesterday gave one thousand pounds to the poor of Madrid, and another thousand to the needy among the citizen militia. He is soon to hold a review of the troops, and insists on re viewing the militia also. Pie walks about the streets, goes vi.-iting and shopping without any escort, and accompanied by only one or two adjutants. He called upon poor Naudin, who had his hand shot away by the same wretches who killed Prim, and he told him he was to consider his services as adjutant transferred to himself. He has done the same with all the adjutants of General Prim. Learning that the public schoolmasters are many months behindhand in their pay. he has told Minister Moret he will touch none of his pay till their claims are satisfied. The first week of his reign is neatly over, and he has not been murdered, or insulted, and no insurrection has occurred, as prophesied by many. Indeed, so little likelihood i* there now of an) of these things that the Queen intends to come here before the end of the month, and it is reported today that the Empress Eugenie is to make a visit to her mother, the Countess de Monr.ijo. Another good thing T have to record of the King. He expressed his intention to grant a general amnesty for political offences; but on reference to the Constitution, it was found that one of the articles strictly' prohibits the King granting indulgences, unless authorised by a special law of the Cortes, and this special law was forgotten in the mad ha*te with which the Cortes were closed."