The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-08
CASTING OUT LIVING SNAKES.
Remark able suncrings OF a Man
Whose Stomach Was a Rep
tiles Nest.


tiles Nest.
About three years ago. writes Will
Transport, Pa, correspondent of The
New York Herald, Mr.. John Longwell,
of Charleston, Tioga county, began to
fail in health. He had always been n
strong, rugged man, weighing about
$50 pounds. For about two years he
kept getting thinner and weaker until
he weighed 1913 pounds. During that
time he experienced strange sensations
in the 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 at times.
On the goth day of September, 1885,
this belief was confirmed At Mr. Long
wells solicitation, and to humor his
supposed hallucination, DR.. c. w.
Webb prepared u powerful emetic, hav
ing taken which Mr.. Longwell, after
suffering great pain and re;ching vo-
lently, emitted from his stomach two
live snakes, twelve inches and fourteen
inches in length, respectively. An &C
count of the singular occurrence 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.. Longwel felt recurrence
of the crawling sensation in his stom-
ach.
Soon after that he was AIKEN with fits,
during which his commissions were hor-
rible. These fits came upon him at in
tervals of four to six weeks, and lasted
about an hour He lost his appetite
and became very thin. A milk diet APP
peared to agree with him better than
any other, but he could not escape the
frequent vistations of agony and con-
WILSON'S. Three weeks ago last Satur-
day Mr.. Longwell had an exceptionally
severe fit, which nearly cost him his
life. At that time ridge was observ-
ed on his stomach, and his attendants
were convinced that another snake
was living within him. The SUPPOSE
ton was well founded, for yesterday
afternoon at about clock, during IN
attack which caused him untold agony
and left him unconscious for upward of
an hour, Mr.. Longwell elected garter
snake that was eighteen and half
inches long and fraction over one
half inch in diameter. Mrs. Longwell,
who was with her husband at the time.
states that when the snake protruded
about four inches from the sufferers
mouth, it appeared to stick fast. al
though she did not recognize it as
snake. Finally the entire reptile was
elected, but not before Mr. Longwell in
his agonizlng commissions had bitten
it almost through in three places.
Neighbors rushing in to assist Mrs.
Longwell found the snake in vessel
where it had fallen. They took it out
and washed it.
Your correspondent saw the snake
in DR.. Webb's Office to-day, and con-
versed with Mr.. and Mrs. Longwell
There is not the slightest doubt of tho
entire truthfulness of their statement.
1t is supposed that in drinking from a
pool three years ago Mr.. Longwell
swallowed the ovum from which the |
snakes grow. This is somewhat cor
roborated by tho fact that the reptile
which made its appearance yesterday
is evidently of about three years
growth, and about one year older than
the two which the gentleman elected
last September. All were common
garter snakes, a specie that abounds in
this region.
Mr.. Longwcll is feeling better since
out his third tenant, but his
stomach is very sore. He feels
natural solicitude to know whether or
not he is still peregrinating den of
snakes. and is also somewhat concern
ed to know whether the family that
colonized his interior department has
left progeny to grow up and succeed
them.