Hiccough

“ Bleeding at the nose is supposed to be checked by placing on the head a piece of paper folded into eight and dipped in freshly drawn well-water. A hiccough is driven away by applying under the knee a sheet of hanshi, folded to the left in the case of a man and to the right in the case of a woman. ”

“ The nerves that produce hiccough are near the surface in the neck. They may be reached and compressed by placing two fingers right in the center of the top of the breastbone between the two cords that run up either side of the neck and pressing inward, downward, and outward. ”

“ When a stone irritates the ureter, and that even without its being attended with pain or fever, sometimes a chronical hiccough occurs, and continues for days and weeks, instead of sickness or vomiting; which are the common symptoms. In this case the motions of the stomach are decreased by their sympathy with those of the ureter, which are increased by the stimulus of the stone in it; and the increased motions of the diaphragm seem to exist in consequence of their association with the stomach by a second reverse sympathy. ”

“ A man who imagined that he was always burning in a fire, had his illusion dispelled by seeing fire taken out from beneath his bed. Great stress is put on the alleged fact that hiccough is cured by sudden fear or startling news, and that agues and many other diseases may be removed by excitement. ”

“ All the charms published by the above-named author in his History of Polperro were taken from a manuscript book, which belonged to a white witch.
When a foot has “gone to sleep” I have often seen people wet their forefingers in their mouths, stoop and draw the form of a cross on it. This is said to be an infallible remedy. Mr. Robert Hunt has a rather similar cure for hiccough: “Wet the forefinger of the right hand with spittle, and cross the front of the left shoe (or boot) three times, repeating the Lord’s Prayer backwards.” ”

“ Hiccough arises from over-irritation of the nerves of the diaphragm, the cause of which we know to be either psychical conditions or overfilling of the stomach. When the stomach is overladen with food or with effervescing or alcoholic drinks, it resists to a greater or less extent the fall of the diaphragm; the contractions of the diaphragm necessarily become more labored, and occasionally, like other over-irritated muscles, assume a convulsive character. ”

“ The remedy is best applied by the sufferer holding his breath and leaning as far backward as is possible, and in the meanwhile distracting the attention by pointing the index finger of one hand towards the nose, and bringing the former toward the latter as slowly as is possible. Sticking the tongue out and holding the breath at the same time will often relieve hiccough, or if the victim can be induced to sneeze the distressing symptom will at once cease. The slow swallowing of a few sips of water will frequently put an end to the trouble. ”

“ CURE FOR HICCOUGHS.—Lump of sugar saturated with vinegar will usually cure hiccoughs in a child. Drink of water often brings immediate relief. In prolonged cases of hiccoughing, weak, hot coffee with cream and sugar given at frequent intervals has cured the patient. ”

“ Spasmodic or irregular contractions of it in man are manifested by what is familiarly known as hiccoughs. Thumps in the horse is similar to hiccoughs in man although in all cases the peculiar noise is not made in the throat of the horse. ”

“ But on the morning after the exposing of the skeleton Hickey had trouble with the dickey. The school regulations tyrannically demanded that each [Pg 118] boy should appear at breakfast and chapel properly dressed, i. e., in collar and shirt. But as the appearance is accepted for the fact, the "dickey" comes to the rescue and permits not only despatch in dressing, but by suppressing a luxury from the wash list, to attend to the necessities of the stomach. The dickey is formed by the junction of two flat cuffs, held together by a stud, to which is attached a collar, and later a tie. ”

“ Hickories are generally divided into true hickories, which have overlapping (imbricate) bud scales, and pecan hickories, which have valvate bud scales. True hickories are divided into those with tight bark and those with loose bark. Mockernut Hickory, Carya tomentosa Nutt., a tight bark species, has very pubescent leaves, large buds, and a thick husk over a large nut. Pignut Hickory, C. glabra (Mill.) Sweet, also a tight bark hickory, has three to nine glabrous leaflets and a tardily dehiscing husk about 3 mm thick. ”

“ You're not superstitious, are you?"
"Sure, I'm not," retorted Legs, who received the skeleton in his arms with a shiver that raised the goose-flesh from his crown to his heels.
"Come on," said Hickey in a whisper; "softly now."
"What's that?" exclaimed Legs, drawing in his breath.
"That's nothing," said Macnooder loftily; "all buildings creak at night." ”

“ With the first sound the Gutter Pup was in the middle of the floor, out of his pajamas and into his clothes before the gong had ceased to ring. He plunged his head into the basin already filled with water, dried himself, parted the moist hair with one sweeping stroke of his comb, snapped a dickey about his neck and struggled into his coat while Lovely was still staring with amazement.
"That's the way it's done," said the Gutter Pup, triumphantly. "There's only one fellow in the school can beat me out, and that's that old Hickey, over in the Dickinson; but I'll beat him yet. Are you ready? ”

“ So he was beating out Hickey, the famous Hickey! Then the touchdown was a fact! Above the uproar he heard a strident shriek:
"Piggy, oh, you damned Piggy!"
The terror of that familiar voice gave a new impetus [Pg 80] to his chubby legs. Some one else must be gaining on him. Thirty yards still to go!
He ran and ran, hugging the ball in his arms, his head thrown back, gasping for breath. Twenty yards—fifteen yards! Suddenly swift, glorious visions rose before him, scenes of jubilation and exultation, of cheering comrades, celebrations that would wipe out the long record of humiliation. ”

“ Hickey bowed again and raised his head cloaked in seriousness. A titter acclaimed him. He stopped and looked appealingly at the master.
"Go on, Hicks, go on," said Mr. Dater. "Do your best. At least, let us hear the words."
Another inspiration came to Hickey. "I don't think that this is quite regular, sir," he said aggressively. "I have always taken an interest in my work, and I don't see why I should be made to sacrifice a good mark." ”

“ Suddenly Hickey, standing forward, began to count:
"One, two, three——"
"What's he doing that for?"
"Aren't they both down?"
"Four, five, six, seven——"
"But Lovely went first!"
"No, the Gutter Pup."
"Eight, nine, TEN!" cried Hickey. "I declare both men down and out. The Sporting Club will register one knockout to the credit of the Gutter Pup and one to Lovely Mead. All bets off. The Welsh Rabbit will proceed to return that watch!!"
At seven o'clock the next morning Lovely, from his delicious bed, gazed across at the swollen head of the Gutter Pup. ”

“ Hickey standing by my bedside in a red coat with a tall glass in his hand.
"It's nine o'clock," he said. "I'm just after waking Flurry Knox. There wasn't one stirring in the hotel till I went down and pulled the 'boots' from under the kitchen table! It's well for us the meet's in the town; and, by-the-bye, your grey horse has four legs on him the size of bolsters this morning; he won't be fit to go out, I'm afraid. Drink this anyway, you're in the want of it."
Dr. Hickey's eyelids were rather pink, but his hand was as steady as a rock. The whisky-and-soda was singularly untempting. ”

“ Hickey indignantly denied the accusation, and a [Pg 205] little quarrel arose between them, terminated by Wash, who broke in:
"Shut up, Crazy—Hickey is dead right. We want to go in friendly-like, just as though we knew the Doctor would side with us at once—sort of take him into our confidence."
"That's it," said Hickey; "we want to be good-natured at first, lay the matter before him calmly, then afterward we can be firm."
"Rats!" said Crazy; "are we going to tell him, or not, that we represent the Dickinson and the Woodhull and that they have voted the extinction of 'sinkers'?" ”

“ Other more distinguished appetites might come who would achieve fifty pancakes, but no boy would ever go the path he had gone. He was famous at last. At Prom and Commencement he would be pointed out to visitors in the company of Hickey, Flash Condit, Cap Kiefer and Turkey Reiter. Only yesterday he was plain George Barker Smith, to-morrow he might be....
What would the morrow bring? Who would name him? Would it be Hickey, Macnooder or Turkey or the Egghead, or would some unsuspected classmate find the happy expression? ”

“ Directly under his eyes, carved on the wooden table, a name challenged him, standing out of the numerous initials—Guzzler Wilkins.
"I'll keep count," said Hickey. "Macnooder and Turkey, watch the pancakes."
"Regulation size, Conover," cried that cautious Red Dog; "no doubling now. All fair and above-board."
"All right, Hickey, all right," said Conover, leering wickedly from the door; "if that little grasshopper can do it, you get the cakes."
"Now, Hungry," said Turkey, clapping Smeed on the shoulder. "Here is where you get your [Pg 43] chance. Remember, Kid, old sport, it's for the Dickinson." ”

“ The greatest physicians flocked to him, striving in vain [Pg 103] to fight off the inevitable end. He saw the street filled with tan-bark and the faces of the grief-stricken multitude, with Hickey and Red Dog and Ginger Pop sobbing on the steps and refusing to leave all that fateful night, while bulletins of the final struggle were constantly sent to every part of the globe. ”

“ THE MARTYRDOM OF WILLIAM HICKS
Hickey had now reached the height of his fame. Intoxicated by success, he forgot all prudence, or rather his revolt became an appetite that demanded constant feeding. He no longer concealed his past exploits, he even went so far as to announce the escapades he planned.
"You are running your head into the noose, Hickey, my boy," said Macnooder, sadly; "every master in the school has got his eye on you." ”

“ Conover capitulated, the cakes were rejected.
"Don't be feazed by that," said Hickey, warningly to Smeed.
"I'm not," said Smeed.
[Pg 48]
"All ready," came Macnooder's cry.
"Ready here."
"Six pancakes!"
"Regulation size?"
"Regulation."
"Six it is," said Hickey, at the slate. "Six and twenty-seven is thirty-three."
"Wait a moment," sang out the Butcher. "He has only to eat thirty-two."
"That's so—take one off."
"Give him five, Hickey—five only."
"If Hungry says he can eat six," said Hickey, firmly, glancing at his protégé, "he can. We're out for big things. Can you do it, Hungry?" ”

“ Until night came again they must cling to the spur-top and manage to live in that hurricane of lead. He went down the line, calling each man by name, rousing them, like a prophet inspired. The fury of sacrifice seized them. They fought on, parched and bleeding, while the sun rose above them and slowly fell. A thousand lives; half that, and half that again. Five o'clock, and still two hours to go. He looked about him. Only a few hundred remained to meet the next charge. Red Dog and Ginger Pop were cold in death, Hickey was dying. ”

“ I'm not afraid, only I don't stand one, two, three with the Doctor and you know it. I've flunked every recitation in Bible this month. What we want is the strongest pull—and Wash is the one. Why, the old man would feed out of Wash's hand."
Wash indignantly repelled the insinuation. Finally it was agreed that Crazy should state the facts, that Hickey should say, "Doctor, we feel strongly, very strongly, about this," and that Wash should then make the direct demand for the suspension for one month of the "sinker," and its future regulation to two appearances a week. ”

“ There are three or four others that are hardy but all means of identification having been lost, it will be necessary to wait until they come into bearing before their varieties will be known. As experiments continue, more varieties of worthy, hardy hickories and hiccans will be found which will justify completely the opinion of those of us who always hail as king of all our native nuts, the hickory. [Pg 59]
1930—Weschcke Hickory as borne by parent tree at Fayette, Iowa. ”

“ Butcher and Egghead have got to take two each—that would make sixteen. The other eight I can fill up with some harmless freaks: some will snap at anything."
That night at the supper-table Turkey had to face the music.
"You're a nice one, you are," said Hickey, starting in immediately, "you arch deceiver. You are a fine friend; I have my opinion of you. 'Handsome girl,' 'a wonder,' 'fine talker,' 'a screamer'—that's the sort of game you try on your friends, is it? ”

“ Suddenly a thrill of excitement ran over the school and like a huge sigh the exclamation welled up, "Tabby!"
Mr. Lorenzo Blackstone Tapping had entered. His eyes met the skeleton and he coloured. A smile would have saved him, but the young Greek and Latin expert understood nothing of the humanising sciences. He tried to look unconcerned and failed; he tried to look dignified and appeared sheepish; he tried to appear calm and became red with anger. It was a moment that carried joy into the heart [Pg 115] of Hickey, joy and the forgetfulness of red pepper, cobwebs and dust. ”

“ The LEAVES are alternate, compound, from 6 to 10 inches long, and composed of 5 to 11 leaflets. The individual leaflets are smaller and more slender than those of the other hickories.
The male and female FLOWERS are on the same tree. The FRUIT is about 1 inch long and thin-husked, while the nut has a thin, smoothish, gray, brittle shell. The kernel is bitter.
The WOOD is hard, strong, and heavy; reddish-brown in color, and often called red hickory. It has the same uses as the other hickories but is said to be inferior. ”