South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1837-03-18

VI sld VA IVA 49,
afterwards The sensation, as he de-
fibed it, was that Of violent blow
within the stomach, and very much like
Z that produced by an electric shock, ex-
cepting in being more iocal.
lN Such extraordinary symptoms demo
/. ted some such extraordinary cause OF
disturbance. He had been for ten
wears under the care Of his family ply
sician, and had been subjected to vari-
ous modes Of treatment, without any a.
! batement of those symptoms. He had
AIKEN the most active emetics, and the
most drastic cathartic, without any good
Eject, When arterial action was high,
he was copiously bled losing l6 ounces
daily for 3 days successfully. When
!. y was low, the most powerful stimulants
were administered opium, ether, bran
ady, bark, being exhibited, each in suf-
ficient quantity to kill man Of ordina-
fy health and strength. All the while
be insisted some living animal was in
his stomach, and related the incident at
/ The spring, and his subsequent sensa-
tions. His physician was increduIous,
ayingthathe had read Of such things
but did not consider any case well
authenticated, or believe that any
animal could resist the solvent pow
fr Of the gastric fluid in the human
Stomach. The patient finding every
unpleasant symptom increasing, resell
we'd toseak additional aid ,and consul
tation was ordered. Five of our most
eminent physicians attended, and after
~ minute investigation, came to the
conclusion that the conjecture of the
patient was probable for. though Meth
er of them had ever witnessed case
of living animal in the human stom-
zach, yet several cases were recorded
(which they considered as authentic
They also said that living frogs, toats
land fishes had been found in the stom-
echs of snakes, many hours after they
had been swallowed, and that this pro-
Kved the vital principle in resisting, to
some extent, the solvent power Of the
gastric fluids.
n Having assumed this hypothesis as
probable, they next proceeded to act
upon it. They rejected all medicines,
very properly concluding that if the vi
tai principle could resist the solvent
power of the stomach, it would resist
Y ,saction of any substances which
"a. Stomach was able to bear; and con-
n cluaed also that as powerful medicines
4 had already failed, ii was not philosoph-
ical to repeat them.
They ordered entire abstinence from
4 all food and accordingly, the patient
took none for five days. During this
period, the pain in the stomach, and
4 the motion was violent, resembling that
of spiral revolution of rope upon 8
cylinder. The pain becoming too in
4 tense to bear, for the patient was in a
raving deliiun, thephysician suggested
that opium might act upon The nerves
of the stomach, without affecting the
animal, if it We're one, and that in search
Of food it might force its way through
the esophagus. This was tried and
with success the patient being thrown
B into disturbed sleep, while the motion
j increased in violence. He was then
4 held in a recumbent position, with the
Il face downwards, and the body inclined
TO an angle of AZ degrees, the head be-
ing lowest. In about ten minutes, the
4 cause was manifested. And a snake, OF
d dark brown color, and large size. pro-
q truded full eight inches from the mouth
4 with eyes bright and glazing with eve
ry manifestation of rage. One of the
n physicians immediately seized it by the
! neck with the intention of drawing il
4 out, but suddenly fell flat upon the floor
A without sense or emotion. as if struck
n by lightning. Like the conser eel, the
u torpedo, and several species Of marine
q animals, the reptile was ELECTRIC and
thus were the fainting fits Of the patient
explained
"a But a measure was soon devised to meet
this difficulty. One of the physicians cover
4 silk, and stood ready to seize the snake should
it again appear. This soon happened, and it
y was seized and drawn out about two feet,
y struggling violently, and emitting tremendous
shocks Of electricity Two of the attending
n physicians, who accidentally touched it in the
struggle, were knocked down. 1t was now
N feared that the electric shocks would destroy
q the patient; and it was furthermore ascer-
Y tanned that from its size, it could not be drawn
n out without eminent danger of rpturing the
y osophagus. But fertile in expedients,
they suggested anew plan; which was to suf-
Ter tia reptile to come out as far as possible,
then with sharp instrument, to sever the
head, and to extract the body by an incision
3 into the stomach.
In about an hour, it again appeared the
Inpatient all the while being insensibls from
the effects Of opium, aided, perhaps, by the
shocks Of the reptile. It protruded
gbeSst two feet and with sharp Ratchet pre-,
# ~ for the purpose. it was suddenly divided lac
x4trAoi,t 81 erhtnon incies hclnW the head ln(