INTERCOLONIAL EXTRACTS.

Southland Times, Issue 1195, 14 January 1870, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL EXTRACTS.

-• We ' (Argus) have received further information respecting the ca3e of snakebite treated by Messrs Langford and Geary, at the Kyneton Hospital, with the injection of ammonia into a vein. About 1 p.m., December 24, Mrs Donovan, in crossing a log fence at Eedesdale, noticed a brown snake coiled round her foot. She fell down, and on ; getting up saw the snake escaping, j She noticed a spot of blood on her stocking. On going home an attempt was made to scarify the wound with a pair of scissors, and the wound was also sucked. Afterwards she took two nobblers of brandy, and applied Shires's antidote. At 6 p.m., when brought to the hospital, no bad symptoms, except drowsiness, appeared, but later in the evening this increased, and more brandy was given ; in all, from the time of the bite till near midnight, 7 oz. The stimulants were now stopped, but by 12.40 the patient had become much worse ; could not be kept on her feet, nor awake without shaking; pupils dilated, extremities cold and clammy. In consultation it was decided to try Professor Haiford's treatment. Twelve and a half minims of the strongest liquor ammonia, diluted with twice as much water, was injected into a vein of the forearm. The patient roused instantly. "I do not feel a bit sleepy now," she said ; in a few seconds the hands became burning hot ; she now complained of headache, the veins of the forehead were distended, and perspiration broke out on her face ; she retched a little, and then said that she felt quite well, and began to walk up and down without help. At 8 a.m she ate a hearty breakfast, and at 11 a.m. insisted on going home. She has continued well ever since. It is marvellous that any treatment could in a few seconds so change a living being from torpor to activity. But, in fact, this seems to be the case whenever in these states ammonia is thrown directly into the circulation. " Egyptian darkness reigned for some time in Sandhurst on Tuesday afternoon. A dust storm commenced," says the Independent, " about 5 o'clock, and lasted for more than 20 minutes. During the whole of that time, a mixture of gravel and dust was showered upon the town, and it will give those at a distance an idea of the storm when we say that we were compelled to ' light up ' while it lasted, owing to our office being darkened by the amount of dust that was blown into it. When the dust had passed away a most welcome rain commenced to fall, which made the atmosphere bearable. Sad havoc was made among the roofs' of houses, but we have not heard of any more serious damage. We were nearly losing a member of our reporting staff — whose business took him to Mr Eae's school at Ironbank. He declares he would have been blown away but for the assistance of a fence, to the bottom rail of which he held on until the storm had passed, when he ' picked himself up ' with his pockets full of dust, but minus his hat, and he is inclined to think a portion of his hair." In its summary for England, the Brisbane Couner gives the f blowing sketch of

the progress and position of Queensland : — " In 1860 we had 28,000 inhabitants, now we have 110,000 ; in 1860 there were 41 schools, attended by less than 2,000 children, now we have nearly 200, with about 13,000 pupils. There are now nearly 2,000,000 of acres leased; more than 13,000. pi an ted with cotton, and more than 5000 under sugar. Sheep have increased, between the two periods, from 3,000,000 to 9,000,000, and horned cattle from less than half-a-million to more than a million. In mineral productions, the increase has been marvellous ; indeed, it would be difficult to arrive at a correct estimate of the amount of gold, copper, coal, &c, brought to the surface. Prom the far Cloncurry in the north-west, to the southern boundary of the colony, discovery has followed quickly upon discovery, and copper, silver, and gold will yet be found in Queensland in such abundance as to afford wealth to many and employment to thousands. We have more than 200 miles of railway constructed and in use ; we have about 2000 miles of telegraphic communication ; our imports have risen from three-quarters of a million to two millions, and our exports from half-a-million to nearly two millions and a quarter. ' Our revenue has increased to more than £750,000 from £178,000 in I860; and our expenditure apart from loans, has swollen in about the same, ratio." By way of Eockhampton we have some 1 news from the far north of Australia. I The correspondent of the Bulletin. writing from the Gilbert, says: — "The latest news from the Norman is to tha effect that the population of the place has dwindled down to about 25 persons, one half of whom are women, and that the aspect of the place is miserable in the extreme. Burketown is stated to present an appearance of desertion in even a greater degree ; and the 10 families forming the population of Carnarvon, Sweer's Island, are reported to be in that happy state, known as ' living upon each other.' There are about 30 diggers at the Cloncurry, a few of whom are doing pretty well, according to a letter just received here, and the remainder making tucker. Of course the extension of the telegraph to Burke, and the opening up of the great Australian copper-mine, will produce a happy change in the state of the country bordering the G-ulf; but, ia the meantime, it would appear the inhabitants of that section are fully realising the axiom that ' while the grass is growing the horse is starving.' "