Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-03-24
NO. 20.

der voracious appetite, all the functions
were performed with regularity, his pulse
was regular his sleep sound, and his com.
! plexion was of healthy hue, inclnipg 10
De norld. In the mean time, the abdomen
increased greatly in size, and motion like
ihat oil a cat in bag, was apparent to the
hand when laid upon the region of the stom-
ach. But he was at all times subject 10 faint
ing BITS OF peculiar kind. Sometimes he
dropped down suddenly, without sense or
motion. AT other times he nearly fell. but
recovered Immediately, though always with
prostraiion OF strength for some hours after.
wards. The sensation, as he described i
( was that Of a violent blow within the s,o,p.
ach and very much like that produced by an
electric shock, excepting it being more local.
such extraordinary symptoms denoted
some extraordinary cause Of disturbance
lie had been for ten years under the care of
his family physician, and had been subject.
eh TO various modes of treatment, without
any abatement Of these symptoms. He had
taken the most active emetics and the most
drastic cathartics, without any good effect
When arterial action was high, he was bled
copiously, sometimes losing sixteen ounces
daily Tor three days successfully. When il
was low, the most powerful stimulants were
administered, opium, ether, brandy bark,
being sometimes exhibited, each in sufficient
quantities to kill man of ordinary health
and strength. All the while he insisted that
some living animal was in his stomach. and
related the incident at the spring, and his
subsequent sensations. His physician was
lncredulous, saying that he had read of such
things, but did not consider any one case
well authenticated or believe that any ami
mai could resist the solvent power of the
gastric fluids nahe human stomach. The
patient, hnding every unpleasant symptom
increasing, resolved TO seek additional aid,
aud consultation was ordered. Five of
our most eminent physicians attended, and
alter minute examination, came to The con-
cluslon that the conjecture of the patient
was probable; for though neither OF them
had ever witnessed case of a living animal
in the human stomach, yet several cases
were recorded which they considered au.
thentic. They also said that comparative
anatomy furnished analogies: for living
frogs, toads, and fishes had been found in
the stomachs of snakes, many hours after
they had been swallowed, and that this prov
ed the power of the vital principle in resist
ing TO some extent, the solvent power of the
gastric fluids.
Having assumed this hypothesis as prob
able, they next proceeded to act upon it,
They rejected all medicines, very properly
concluding that If the vital principle could
resist the solvent power of the stomach, il
would resist the action of any substances
which the stomach was able TO bear and
concluding also that as powerful medicines
had already failed. it was not philosophical
to repeat them.
They ordered entire abstinence from all
TODD; and accordingly, the patient took none
Tor hive days. During this period, the pain
IN the stomach was circulating, and the mo-
ton violent, resembling that of spiral rev.
olution OF rope upon cylinder. The pain
becoming too intense TO bear, for the patient
was IN raving delirium, the physicians sug-
gested that opium might act upon the nerves
OF the stomach, without affecting the animal,
if it were one, and that in search of food,
it might force its way through the usopha-
gus. This was tried and with success the
patient being thrown into disturbed sleep,
while the motion of the stomach increased
IN violence. He was then held in a recumb-
ent position, with the face downward and
the body inclined to an angle of forty-five
degrees, the head being lowest In about
ten 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 its eyes bright and
glarIng with every manifestation of rage
One OF the physicians Immediately seized it
BY the neck, with the intention OF drawing
il out, but suddenly fell fiat upon the floor
without sense or motion, as if struck by
ightning; Like the cougar eel, the topedo,
md several other species of marine animals,
he reptile was electric, and thus were the
ainting fits of the patient explained
But measure was soon devised to meet
his new difficulty. One of the physicians
covered the handles Of a large pair Of forceps
With silk, and stood ready to seize the snake,
should 1t again appear. This soon happen
I'd, and it was seized and drawn out about
wo feet, struggling most violently and emit
ing tremendous shocks of electricity. Two
'fthe attending physicians, who accidental
y touched it in the struggle, were knocked
Town. 1t was now feared that the electric
hooks would destroy the patient; and it
vas furthermore ascertained that from its
lze It could not be drawn out without immi-
tent danger of rupturing the nsephagus---
5ut fertile in expedients, they suggested
lew plan; which was to suffer the reptile to
ONE out as far as possible. then with
harp instrument TO sever the head, and 10
xiract the body by an incision into the
tomach.