BATHYBIA.
For long the doctor diligently attended, in the uncertainty of the stroke, administering small doses of alcohol from our limited medical store. At last, after twelve hours, success crowned his efforts and the patient regained consciousness. Even now his senses seemed to have lapsed, and in his delirious ramblings, amongst inarticulate expressions, could be heard, “Yon’s the reght stuff, man, aye it is!” Later on he seemed to come to himself again as he weakly asked for tea. Indeed so frequent became his cravings for this beverage, that one of us was told off especially to keep up the supply. It was not till the evening of the second day that the matter was cleared up.
All but the night watch had retired, when the supposed invalid suddenly stepped briskly from his bed, and made towards the food bags with a determination boding ill for our now inconsiderable stores. On this occasion the night watchman proved the value of the institution by quickly alarming the sleepers and averting what might have been a serious catastrophe.
Explanations ensued, and we discovered that the miraculously healed patient had merely had the good fortune, as he described it, to discover a succulent alga giving abundance of intoxicating liquid. No further explanation was required, as his subsequent behaviour
