The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-10

From the London Laacct we learn
that "many years ago a case was re.
corded by DR.. Otto, OF Copenhagen,
in which 49j needles passed through
the skin of a hysterical girl, who had
probably swallowed them during
hysterical paroxysm, but these all
emerged from the regions below the
diaphram, and were collected III
groups, which gave rise to inham-
matory swelling of some size. One
Of these contained 100 needles.
Quite recently DIR. Bigger described.
before the Society of Surgery, of
/ Dublin, a case in which more than
3OO needles were removed from the
body OF q woman. IL is very re-
markable in how few cases the nee
dies were the cause Of death, and
how slight an interference with
function there presence and move
ment caused"
1t would seem from the case on
record that needles in the system
rather assist in digestion and pro-
mote longevity.
For instance, we viii suppose that
the hysterical girl above alluded to,
with 495 needles in her stomach,
should absorb the midsummer GU
cumber. Think how interesting
those needles would make it for the
great collie promoter.
We can imagine tic cheerful smile
Of the cucumber as it enters the
stomach, ard bowling cheerful toy
the follicles standing around, hang
It's hat upon the wall of the stomach,
stand its umbrella in the corner and
proceed to get in its work.
All at once the cucumber looks
surprised and grieved about some
thing. 1t stops in its heayen-born
collie generation and pulls a rusty
needle out of its person. Maddened
By the pain, It once mere attacks
the digestive apparatus, and once
more accumulates Il choice job lot of
needles.
Again and again It enters into the
unequal contest, each time losing
ground and gaining ground till the
poor cucumber, with assorted hard
ware sticking out in all directions
like the hair on cats tail, at last
curls up like caterpillar and yields
up the victory.
Still, the needle business will be
expensive to husbands if wives once
acquire the habit and allow it to OBJ
tam the mastery over them.
Ii wife once permits this demon
for cambric needles to get
control Of the house, it will soon Sc
cure majority in the senate, and
there viii be trouble.
The woman who once begins to
tamper with cambric needles is not
safe. She may think that she has
power to control her appetite, but it
Is only step to the maddening
thirst for the soul-destroying darn
ing needle, and perhaps the button
hook and earpet-stretcher.
1t is safer and better to crush the
first desire for needles than when it
IS too late to undertake a reforIna-
ion from the abiect slavery to this
lellish thirst.
We once knew q sweet young
creature with dewy eye and breath
ike timothy hay. Her merry laugh
rippled out upon the summer air
ike the joyful music of bald-headed
Dobolinks.
Everybody loved her, and she
owed everybody, too. But in
.houghtless moment she swallowed
| cambric needle. This did not
iatisfy her. The cruel thralldom
lad begun. Whenever she felt de
pressed and gloomy there was
nothing that would kill her ennui
md melancholy but the fatal needle
From this she rapidly became
more reckless, till there was hardly
IN hour that she was no. under the
influence Of needles.
II she couldn't get needles to as
Iuage her mad thirst, she would
AXE hair-pins or door-keys. She
pined away to mereskel-
ton. She could no longer sit on one
DOT and be happy.
Life for her was filed with Opaque
doom and sadness.
At last she took an overdose of
heep shears and monkey wrenches
NE day, and on the following morn
ng her soul had lit out for the land
# eternal summer.
We should Learn from this to shun
he maddenins needle cushion as
We would viper and never tell lie.
-BM Nye, Laramie Boomerang