Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-23
EXTRAORDINARY MEDICAL AND SURGICAL
CASE.

/ Banner contained the following para
graph A Mrs. Kennedy, of Murrays-
vile, Tenn, woman of about forty
the wife of an Irish laborer, living or
French Broad street, has for several
years suffered greatly from i'll health
Her symptoms and complaints were
singular; was afflicted with almost
constant pains, SO that she could sell
dom or never rest at night. She stated
that she felt something running up and
down in the abdomen, and that she
frequently experienced the creeping
sensation which is called irritability
She had been in the hospital here, and
had been treated successfully for can
Ger of the bowels, worms, contracted
hydalids and other complaints, but
found no relief. AS her uneasiness and
pains continued, so were the attempts
to relieve her, but without success.
Not long since DR.. Perriam Giles,
whose office is on the corner of Pur-
chase and Broad streets, was called in
to requisition and took charge of the
case. l@s.
About week ago she became sub
ject to uncomfortable uneasiness, and
begged DR.. Giles tc perform an opera
ton for her relief This he was re-
luctant to do, thinking it would hazard
her life, without sufficiently certain
prospect of bringing relief to her to
compensate for her hazard. She de
clared that life was burden; that she
must die as she was, and that speedily
that she was willingto die; death would
be reliet and that she might as well
die in efforts for relief as in any Other
| way. At last DR. Giles yielded to her
| opportunities; and having first been
solemnly exonerated from blame by the
woman aud her husband, he con
sented to perform the operation.
On Friday afternoon last, assisted by
DR.. James Davis, of this place, ant
VIM. Allen, of Sweetwater, he proceed
ed to perform the operation. He frs
made the incision about ten inches Ions
along the medical line of the abdomen
He found tumor projecting largely
about twenty-six inches in diameter
and of irregular form. He opened i
and found therein two rattle snakes
one thirty six inches, and the othe
twenty two and half in length. On
of the snakes had five rattles, and tn
other four rattles, and button. The
had yellow and black spots on then
with white bellies. They were quit
lively, and would rattle and strik
with vengeance when disturbed. The
were killed, and their skins
and rattles y are now in tn
possession of Colonel John Stephens
at the corner of McNab street, of thi
town. They would not have bee
killed, but they were SO vicious fear
were entertained that they would bit
somebady. z'l'ie tamor being removed
Mrs. Kennedy was instantly relieved
and is now doing well. The doctor
call the snakesRcrotdlds hosrSbus. Col
onel Stephens prizes their skins an
rattles as great curiosities. Too muc
praise cannot be given to the eminen
medical men for the skill and calmnes
they manifested throughout the opera
ton. Mrs. Kennedy says she swallow
ed two small, soft white eggs tina
she found several years ago as she we
walking out in field near the Wart
/ Springs, North Carolina. Having jus
come over from Ireland, she was nc
acquainted with the bird eggs Of Amer
ca, swallowed these eggs, supposin,
them to be partridge eggs. y