Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-02-09
A STARTLING SENSATION.
A Living Snake in a Living WO-
mans Stomach.

From the wooster Republican.
The report, for some time current
in Wooster, that there was a woman
in the Wayne County Infirmary. two
miles from the city, who had living
snake in her stomach, has created
considerable comment and excitement
1t was generally regarded as a sensa-
ton story, gotten up by some morbid
minded or highly imaginative person,
to quiver the muscles of the strong,
and thrill the nerves of the weak.
But there is no humbug about it.
An unfortunate woman is now in the
Infirmary with living snake, or eel,
in her stomach, of the truth of which
there is abundant proof to convince
the most skeptical. We visited the
In6rmary last Saturday for the pur
pose of obtaining the facts, that we
might give or readers correct re
lation of this truly remarkable case.
for the particulars OF which we ac-
kno wledge the courtesy of Mss
Shamp, and of A. r. Sweeny, Super
intendent of the I1firmary.
The poor woman's, name ia Mrs
Hattie Lands, nee, Brown, who is
twenty three years of age. She is
citizen of this county and formerly
resided in Wooster, and was brought
here from the Richlsnd County In
Urinary five weeks ago. For six years
she has been subject to convulsions
of the severest character, which, thus
far, the best medical skill has been
unable TO suppress At Canton and
Haysville, Ohio, we understand the.
| doctors could do nothing to relieve
her; and at Philadelphia she was IN
der the care of two of the most emi-
| nent physicians, without beneficial
results DR.. L. Firestone, of this
city, now has her under treatment:
and the snake will have a lively time
and get hurt, or we are much mistak
en- in the Doctors $ professional abili-
ty and goaheaditiyeness.
In person, Mrs. Lands is of medi-
uin height, slight and delicate, her
wan features exhibiting sad evidences
of the reptiles malign influence upon
her nervous system. She has spasms
every day-sometimes as many as
twenty. During each convulsiou sic
| becomes entirely unconscious; her
body writhes aHd struggles in agony;
her face grows black from sufrocation
her eyes, distended almost to burst
ing, turn in their sockets ; her tongue
stiifens and protruds from the open
mouth she froths at the mouth-
and the demon of a snake twists, with
Shiny folds, NJ her throat into her
mouth, wrapping itself around the
root of her tongue. and darting its
head out and in Iier mouth with the
rapidity oflightniug-lke the tongue
of a snake out of snakes mouth -
then squirlns down her throat. when
the spasm subsidies.
This sight has been witnessed by
many persons, and is pronounced a
fearful and shuddering thing to be
hold. It has protruded its body as
much as three inches is black in col
or; as thich as 4 lady's index finger
and those who have see.I it say there
is doubt that it is either a snake or an
eel. 1t does not appear every time
she has spasm, but generally in
those she has from to 10 O'Clock in
the evening. The woman eats vo-
raciousiy, without receiving apparent
benefit, for, within five minutes after
partabinga liberal meal, she suffers
the pangs Of hunger and is raven )us
for food. To eat sour pickles, cab
bsge, or to take anything of scid na
ture, evidently throws the aniHal
: iuto paroxysms, as, when such art
taken. it makes the greatest disturb
ance and shows inself in the throai
and mouth, 1t WAS first observed
in a CONFUSION she had af er eating
of some pickle. The unhappy wo
man has 10 ilea when or where she
might have swallowed it; snd Can
not be made believe that so foul aHd
hateful creature inhabits her body
1t is humanely hoped that Doctor
Firestone will soon relieve her suffer
iugs, for she is most pitiful object
and receives the compassion of all
t The hazardous nature of the bu
siness ofselIing intoxicating liquor:
r seems to be Increasing rapidly, Th'
g temperance people have a weapon o
4 nowar in tho Dresant laUsof OhiO 'ra