River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-30

Boston Globe: Mrs. Mary Powers of
Cambridge Mass, elected from her
stomach Monday night a winged and
living bat which she swallowed while
drinking water seven years ago. Her
house was visited by a Globe reporter
yesterday. A middle-aged, pleasant
faced woman answered the inquirer
knock. When asked if she was the one
who had borne aliving bat in her stom-
ach for seven wears she answered in the
affirmative. Ushering the reporter in
to the parlor, she left the room and re-
turned in few moments, carrying in
her hand glass preserve jar. At the
bottom of the jar a black object APP
peared to be moving about,
There it IS, said she; and if
woman ever suffered more than have
during the past seven years, | would
like to see her.
An examination of the strange crea.
ture in the jar revealed the body of
bat with hooked wings aud other APP
pendages peculiar 10 that animal. 1t
was black on all sides, and the lower
part of the body was covered with
thick film of dark hair. The body was
about three inches long. and its ex-
tended wings measured over seven in
ches across from tip to tip. The most
peculiar feature of the animal was the
head. 1t was about one inch in length
and shaped some like that of "A lizard.
From its lower jaw several tufts of long
dark hair hung in clotted masses. The
eyes and nOstrils are well marked.
The head was topped with two ex-
tremely long ears. 1t weighed from
two 10 three ounces. and possibly
more.
lit is hard to believe" said Mrs.
Powers, 'but I'll tell you how it hap
pened. One dark night about seven
wears ago, when | lived in Arlington,
went out to the pump TO get drink of
water, | drew the water into a dipper,
and, without examining it. drank it
off. Immediately after began to feel
pain in my side. 1t grew worse as
the night advanced, indeed, so much
so that before morning | suffered the
most terrible pains in my stomach and
sides.
Things went on in this way for two
weeks with occasional spells of rest.
when the torture | was enduring be-
came so eXcruciating that | could stand
it no longer. | was taken sick and
went to bed. DIR. Harris came aud
failed TO discover the cause of my
strange condition. l sent for other
doctors but without any further result.
They were all dumbfOunded. Still !
went on suffering. After enduring in
describable torments for over year |
went TO the Massachusetts Hospital
and asked them to do something for
me. The doctors examined me, and
finally told me to go home. My suf-
ferings increased. | lost the use of my
limbs, arms. and fingers, while the
pains in my back and side whenever /
attempted to move are horrible to
think of even now.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
were the worst days since the eventful
night seven years ago. About II
o'clock Monday night that creature
passed from my bowels, since which
time have enjoyed the best OF health.
| recovered the use of all my faculties"
Over 300 people visited the house
Yesterday, TO all of whom the strange
creature was shown. Several profess
sional men here visited the premises
and looked at the bat. They seem to
be all at a loss TO account for its place
in the animal kingdom. 1t is still
alive.