DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0406
364 ANIMALS, &C. IN THE HUMAN STOMACH.
in 1661, the doctor was informed that she was living,
and able to perform her work. She, however, remained
very weak, and had a difficulty of breathing, especially on
any violent exercise. She lived on bread soaked in milk,
and could drink nothing but water. She had an invinci-
ble dislike to meat, and when she tasted it, she experienced
very great agitations in her stomach.
Instances are on record of persons who have swallowed
knives and other substances, which after a considerable
time, have been extracted or discharged without endan-
gering their lives. Nothing in the order of nature can
be more wonderful than that they should not instantly
be productive of the most fatal consequences. The
following facts would scarcely appear credible, were
they not attested in such a manner, that their veracity
cannot be doubted.
In a letter, dated London, March 27th, 1682, Mr. Han-
son relates, that a young man, about twenty years of
age, at Ely, Cambridgeshire, who gave out that he
was bewitched, vomited at different times nails of va-
rious sizes, pins, small pieces of lead of the kind used
by glaziers, farthings, whetstones, of the length of a
finger, and the breadth of two. Mr. White, who saw
this man, says, that his conversation was very sensible,
that he was not sick as some imagined, though his counte-
nance was extremely pale, but that he felt pains in his
breast, and in other parts when he vomited all these arti-
cles. One day he brought up a piece of lead more than
two fingers in length, in the presence of a lady with
whom he conversed in the most rational manner. Being-
asked why he vomited whetstones in preference to any
otjier, he replied, that he did not know ; all he could
tell was, that a few days before, he had one of those
stones in his pocket, and was unable to recollect what
had become of it. and this stone he vomited afterwards.
On
in 1661, the doctor was informed that she was living,
and able to perform her work. She, however, remained
very weak, and had a difficulty of breathing, especially on
any violent exercise. She lived on bread soaked in milk,
and could drink nothing but water. She had an invinci-
ble dislike to meat, and when she tasted it, she experienced
very great agitations in her stomach.
Instances are on record of persons who have swallowed
knives and other substances, which after a considerable
time, have been extracted or discharged without endan-
gering their lives. Nothing in the order of nature can
be more wonderful than that they should not instantly
be productive of the most fatal consequences. The
following facts would scarcely appear credible, were
they not attested in such a manner, that their veracity
cannot be doubted.
In a letter, dated London, March 27th, 1682, Mr. Han-
son relates, that a young man, about twenty years of
age, at Ely, Cambridgeshire, who gave out that he
was bewitched, vomited at different times nails of va-
rious sizes, pins, small pieces of lead of the kind used
by glaziers, farthings, whetstones, of the length of a
finger, and the breadth of two. Mr. White, who saw
this man, says, that his conversation was very sensible,
that he was not sick as some imagined, though his counte-
nance was extremely pale, but that he felt pains in his
breast, and in other parts when he vomited all these arti-
cles. One day he brought up a piece of lead more than
two fingers in length, in the presence of a lady with
whom he conversed in the most rational manner. Being-
asked why he vomited whetstones in preference to any
otjier, he replied, that he did not know ; all he could
tell was, that a few days before, he had one of those
stones in his pocket, and was unable to recollect what
had become of it. and this stone he vomited afterwards.
On