Sharp County record., 1878-07-19
Swallowing Needles and Pins.

that, 1t is a case that is not absolutely
rare. 1t is known that there are some
epicures who have a decided taste for
needles, They swallow them by the
dozen like oysters, some with an appar-
ent passion, for cases are cited OF per-
sons who have swallowed hundreds Of
needles There are others who prefer
pins-little white pins with round heads
Pins and needles travel all through the
tissues. They work their way almost
with ease through the body, much more
surely than living creatures. Their NIL
grafton through the different organs is
more or less long. At the end OF sew
eral months, and often after several
years, the needles reach the skin, and
they are taken out sometimes in the
same manner that a pin isplucked from
a pin-cushion. No doubt the thing
seems improbable, but it is absolutely
true.
We find lovers of needles not only
among lunatics, but even among people
sound in body and mind. At La Sal
petreire especially there have been
patients who have swallowed hundreds
of needles. Silvy makes special men
ton of a woman in the full enjoyment
of all her faculties who had passion
for devouring pins and needles. At the
autopsy of her body 1,5OO Of them were
found in various organs. fabrlce de
Hidden tells of lady full OF health who
in her moments of ennui swallowed pins
which came out through the skin six
years after their introduction. VillarS
reports the case of a young woman OF
26 wears who in nine months turned out
more than 200 needles and pins swal-
lowed two years before. These little
strangers came out through the hands,
the arms, the armpits, the abdomen, and
even the knees, and all upon the lett
side. The pins advanced more rapidly
than the needles, the latter being oxi-
died.
DR.. Otto of Copenhagen cites anoth-
er case not less curious. The obServa-
ton that he was enabled to make was
in the case of a young girl who, in fit,
had probably swallowed a large guam
tity of needles. DR.. Otto saw 395 of
them come out from different parts of
her body. Little pimpleS formed them
selves on the surface of the skin in
bunches-perfect nests of needles
from one of which 100 needles were ex-
tracted.
DR.. Gillette, hospital surgeon, who
has just published very interesting note
on this subject, states that in January,
1873, DR.. Bigger cited an analogous
case before the Irish Society of Surgery.
Over 800 needles were found in the body
of nurse in Whitford Hospital. One
of the needles penetrated the elbow, and
the nurse died at the Richmond Hos
pital. 1t could not be exactly ascer-
tanned how they had been taken into the
body, but every thing tends to the be-
lief, says DR.. Bigger, that they had been
swallowed. We have ourselves recent
ly mentioned, according to DR.. Camara
Cablal, the case of young girl sixteen
years old, an epileptic, from different
parts of whose body over 80 needles
were taken.
DR.. Gillette has Just referred to a case
of similar nature in Paris with Young
girl of 20, who gave Out from different
parts of her body several needles, which
appeared under the skin, and, perforat-
ing it, could easily be taken out with
the fingers, or with little pinchers.
Their coming out was not accompanied
by any flow of blood. On being ques-
toned on this subject the young girl re-
NAMED silent as to the origin of the
presence of the needles in her body.
Suspecting that the thing was mere
trick, NJ. Lepaulmier watched the pa
tient closely and was himself able to
witness the coming out of the needles.
In Is months more than 320 ap ppeared.
They were all put into a littie flannel
needle-caSe. For the m0s., ,tart they
were oxidized and black. Tl+ greater
portion were complete; others W. ''e bro
ken, and were taken out in frq5 hlentS /
more or less long. These neede,l lame \
outfrom different parts of the boz raIt
regular intervals, and taking \ ualIel
course invariably the same. IT, d; frrm
the 4th to the 7th of September ap
peared, and from the 9th to t" h Of
November, 100 1t often happe As that
a great number appeared in an isio
day. In October, 1874, Shs .lrecoiyv
q, 81, 81, and 20 a day. 10 hoe, ,tesd
quantity appeared just agG o ,%thtlI
breast; but they were tSh Shl,oG AZ :, ,ao Ie5s, \
cheejs W ;ssus ezra" nmGhenor6non) pre-
fSGfa 6a5ies fhT re a"nn Of tSsS Green ssg
eral hours in advance singing pains,
which produced a fever well marked
Then she felt a sensation as of a sud
den projection or shock within the it's
sues, followed by prickling sensation.
The eyoung girl then examined thepart of
the body which had been the seat of this
mOmentarV sensation and she saw the