Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-03-29

the stomach.--But he was at all times
subject to lainting fits of a peculiar
kind. Sometimes he dropped down
suddenly, without sense or motion. At
other times he nearly fell, but recov-
cred Immediately, though always with
pr~ostration of strength for some hours
afterwards. The sensation as he do.
scribed i, was that Of a violent blow
within the stomach, and very much
like that produced by an electric shock
except being more local.
Such extraordinary symptoms demo-
ted some extraordinary cause Of dis.
t%urbance. He had been for ten years
under the care of his family physician,
and had been subject 10 various modes
of treatment, without any abatement Of
these symptoms. He had taken most
active emetics, and the most drastic
cathartics, without any good effect
When a%rterial action was high, no
was bled %copiously, sometimes losing
sixteen ounces daily for three days
in succession. When il was low, the
most powerful stimulants were admin.
lstered !; opium, ether, brandy, bark,
being sometimes administered, each in
sufficient quantities 70 kill a man ofor.
binary health and strength. All the
while he insisted that some living ami.
NAL was in his stomach, and related
the incident at the spring, and his sub
sequcnt sensations. His physician was
~Incredulous, saying that he had read
such things, but did not consider any
case well authenticated, or believe that
that any animal could resist the sol.
vent power of the gastric fluids in the
human stomach. The patient, finding
every unpleasant symptom increasing
resolved to seek additional MD, and a
consultation was ordered. Five ofour
most eminent physicians attended, and
after q minute examination, came to
the conclusion that the conjecture of
the patient was probable ; for though
neither of them had ever witnessed a
case of living animal in the human
stomach, yet several cases were re-.
corded which they considered authen.
tic. They also said that comparative
anatomy furnished analogies; for liv.
ing frogs, toads, and fishes, had been
found in the stomachs of snakes, many
hours after they had been swallowed,
and that this proved the power of the
vital principle in resisting, to some cx.
tent, the solvent power of the gastric
fluids.
Having assumed this hypothesis as
probable, they next proceeded TO act
upon it. They rejected all medicines
very properly concluding tina. if the
vital principle could resist the solvent
power Of the stomach, it would resist
the action of the substances which the
stomach was able to bear and con-
cluded also, that as powerful medicines
had already failed, it was not philoso.
phical TO repeat them.
They ordered entire abstinence from
all food I; and accordingly the patient
took one for five days. During this
period, the pain in the stomach was
excruciating, and the motion violent,
resembling that of a spiral revolution
of a rope upon a cylinder. Tie pain
becoming too intense to bear, for the
patient vas in a raving delirium, the
physicians suggested that opium might
act upon the nerves Of the stomach,
without affecting the animal, if it were
one, and that in search of food, il might
force is way through the 9~sophagus.
This was tried, and with successful
patient being thrown into a disturbed
sleep, while the motion in the stomach
increased in violence. He was then
held in a recumbent position, with the
face downward, and the body inclined
to an angle Of AS degrees, the head be-
ing lowest.
In about tcn minutes the cause Of
the difficulty was manifest. A SNAKE
Of dark brown color, and large size,
protruded full eight inches from the
mouth, with his eyes bright and gIa.
ring with every manifestation of rage.
One Of the physicians Immediately
seized it by the neck, with the inten.
ton of drawing it out, but suddenly fell
flat upon the floor, without sense or
motion, as if struck by lightning! Like
the conger eel, torpedo, and several
other species Of marine animals, the
reptile was electric, and thus were the
fainting fits Of the patient explained
But a measure was 0 devised to
meet this new difficulty. One Of the
physicians covered the handles Of a
pair of forceps with silk, and
stock ready to seize the snake, should
it again appear. This 500 happened,
and it was seized and drawn out about
two feet, struggling most violently,
and emitting tremendous shocks OF
electricity. Two OF the attending ply
who accidentally touched it in
the struggle, were knocked down. II
now feared that the electric shocks
would destroy the patient and it was