Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-24
HE COULD NOT DIGEST PINS.
An Upholsterer Has Several Pins Ex.
tracted From His Rodv


PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 19.-Herman Kolb.
mlddIe-aged German, was discharged
to-day from the conyalescent ward of the
Homeopathic Hospital. During the eight
weeks he has been under medical and
surgical treatment no less than five or
dinary round-headed steel pins have been
removed from his body by surgical opera
tions. Mr.. Kolb was found by a Phila-
delphia Times reporter this evening in his
house on Baird street. s'My trade" said
he, sis that of cutter and filter of furni-
ture coverings. During the early spring
and summer l was continually
employed in cutting and fit
ting linen slip covers such as are used to
cover parlor furniture during the summer
months. of course, used large quanti-
ties OF pins, and in order to work more
rapidly held the pins In my mouth while
adjusting the cover to the sofa or chair.
After stime this 7caused me. slight in
convenience, such as an upholsterer put
ting down carpet experiences with "a
moutnful OF tacks. l could talk with my
mouth full of pins as easily as you can
without them. naturally became care
less. One day | swallowed about half a
dozen as raised my head suddenly to
speak TO a feilow-workman. At first l
was terribly frightened. l took all sorts
of medicine for day or two, but | soon
found that the pins caused me no appa-
rent Inconvenience, and then l became as
careless as ever. After that suppose /
swallowed as many as a dozen, in lots
ranging from single pin to three or four
at time. Fairly in July / began
to feel severe pains and sharp twitching
spasms. j thought it was dyspepsia or
cholera morbus, and secured treatment
accordingly, but without relief. The
pains grew more intense, and on some
days was in agony for hours at a time.
| lost all appetite, and from being a
healthy man weighing 1856 pounds, /
wasted away in month to 13S pounds.
On Aug. l succumbed entirely and went
to the hospital. They appeared to be puz-
zled by my symptoms, but began treating
me for acute dyspepsia. All this time it
never occurred to me that the pins were
at the root OF the trouble, but I soon be-
gan to feel sharp pains inmy back and Just
above my right thigh. Then was treated
for Int1ammatorY rheumatism. / did not
relish any food, and made up my mind
that | was hOpelessly sick and certain to
die. was in this respondent mood one
day when l detected on my back, about
spinal column, small swelling
Just where 1 had felt the sharp
PAINS. All at once l thought of the
cases | had heard of where needles had
worked through portions of the human
body and finally been removed. Then for
the first time | told the doctors about the
pins | had swallowed. The lump on my
back inflamed rapidly and swelled up like
boil. Ten days after | discovered it the
swelling had increased until it resembled
a carbuncle. Then the doctor lanced it and
pulled out one of the little steel-headed
pins. The next day, after removing the
dressing, two more pins made their ap-
pearance, and were readily removed by
the aid of a small lancet. The other two
pins worked out in precisely the same
way three weeks later, only this time
they appeared just above my right thigh.
and had to endure the poulticing and
cutting process all over again in new
place. feel much better now and my
appetite is good"