Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-09-21
Living Snakes in. his Stomach.

About three years ago Mr.. John Long
well, of Charleston, Tioga county, Penn,
began to fell in health. He had always been
a strong, rugged man, weighing about one
hundred and eighty pounds. For about two
years he kept getting thinner and weaker
until he weighed but 12S pounds. During
that time he experienced strange sensations
in tho stomach as if some living thing had
taken up its abode there. He felt or
imagined that he felt, something moving
about in his stomach st times On the Goth
day of September, 1885, this belief was con-
lirmed. AT Mr.. Longweli's solicitation, and
to hulnor h!s supposed ha!lucnatiou, DR.. c.
W. Webb prepared powerful emetic hav-
ing taken which Mr.. Longweli, after suffer.
ing great pain and retching violently, emit.
led from his stomach two live snakes, twelve
inches and fourteen inches in length respec-
lively. An account of the singular occur
renee was published at the time, but the
truth was doubted by many who did not
know Mr.. Longwell to be man of unim.
peachable veracity. About two months
subsequently to the vomiting of the snakes
Mr.. LoGgwcll felt recurrence OF the
IL.
Soon after that he was taken with fits.
during which his convulsions were horrible.
These Its came upon him at intervals of
four to six weeks and lasted about All hour.
He lost his appetite and became very thin.
milk diet appeared to agree with him
better than any other but he could not es.
cape the frequent vistations Of agony and
convulsons. Three weeks ago Mr.. Long.
we'll had en- exceptionally severe fit, which
nearly cost him his life. At that time
ridge was observed. on his stomach, and his
attendants were convinced that another
snake was living within him. The supposi
ton was well founded for last Thursday
afternoon, at about o'clock, during an at
tack which caused him untold agony and
left him unconscious for upward of an hour,
Mr.. Longwell elected 3 garter snake that
was eighteen and i half inches long and
fraction over one.hGlf inch in diameter.
Mrs. LongWeli, who was with her husband
at the time, states that when the snake pro-
truded about four inches from the sufferers
mouth it appeared to stick fast, although
she did not recognize it as Il snake. Finally
the entire reptile was elected, but rot be-
fore Mr.. LonGwel in his agonizinG convul-
sions had bitten ii almost through in three
places. Neighbors rushing in 10 assist Mrs.
Longwell found the snake in the vessel
where it had fallen. They took it out and
washed it.
1t is supposed that in drinking from a
pool three years ago Mr.. Longwel swallow
ed the ovum from which the snakes grow.
This is somewhat corroborated by The fact
that the reptile which made its appearance
Thursday is evidently of about three years
growth, and about one year older than the
two which the gentleman elected last Sep
tember. All were common garter snakes, q
species thst ahouuds il that region.
MIR. Longwel is feeling better since turn.
ing out bis third tenant, but his stomach is
Very sore. He feels q natural soiicitude to
know whether or not he i5 still peregrn-
ating den Of snakes, and is also somewhat
concerned TO know whether the family That
calonized his interior department have left
progeny to grow up and succeed them.