Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-10-07
Vomited a Snake.


well-known conductor, has become the
hero of the following snake story rem,
dered by the Milwaukee Journal in lts
issue of Wednesday, September 80, due
allowance to be made by the reader for
the coloring reporter would naturally
give in writing up an article of so SEN
sational character:
An extraordinary incident happened
in the life of Charles White, the veter-
an st. Paul railway conductor, this
morning. For a long time he has been
in bad health, complaining of stomach
friends have feared that nothing would
cure him.
This morning, short time before he
was to take his train from WatertoWn
to Milwaukee, he was seized with a
severe attack of coughing and vomiting
accompanied bv violent cramps in the
stomach Slime poured from his mouth,
and at last, after an unusually severe
| paroxysm of vomiting, his stomach
| elected a hideous snake, about fifteen
inches long, that squirmed and Wrig-
gled on the floor. 1t was promptly
| killed and afterwards placed in bot
tie AS soon as the stomach was re-
lieved of its horrible tenant Mr. White
felt better, and was able to come to
town, bringing the reptile with him to
submit it to the Judgment of the medi-
cal fraternity.
Mr.. White has never felt we'll since
he came out of the army at the close of
the war, and each year has added to
his stomach troubles, SO that he has
not eaten any solid food for long time,
any attempt to eatm being followed
by violent vomiting.
The snake seems to be the common
green variety known as garter snakes,
and the probability is that he swallowed
it when very small, and was a soldier
drinking out of a southern creek or
spring.
For years Mr. White has doctored
for his serious trouble, but no physi
clan could give him relief or any hope.
Some months ago he consulted several
Chicago surgeons, and they advised
him to submit to severe and very del
icate surgical operation as being the
only possible chance for him. This
they told him was very uncertain and
be would stand one chance in thous-
and ofcoming out alive. Charles White
IL one O1 tie DGSt KNOW IL anu llOSl pop
ular conductors in the service of the
company, and his hosts of friends will
be glad to learn that to-day's exper-
fence will probably add many years to
his days of health and usefulness.
It is we'll understood that Mr., White
has been troubled with an ailment of
the stomach for some time, being I'M
able to retain any solid food and hav-
ing frequently very violent spells Of
vomiting. The Journal account, how
ever. is considerably at variance with
the facts in this extraordinary case as
told by Mr. White himself. Monday
evening of last week, after he had re-
tired, Mr.. Whites stomach pains came
on in a most severe form, having to re-
sort TO hot water application for relief.
4 most distressing vomiting spell fol-
lowed, and Mr.. White went back to the
house feeling that he was minus most
Of his insides, making remark some
thing to this effect to his wife. The
next morning after Mr.. White had
taken his train, Mrs White noticed
among the stuff Mr.. White bad thrown
up small snake writing in the slime,
but its movements were more like a
worm than a snake. Their neighbor,
NJ Norton, was sent for and killed the
reptile tits about fifteen inches long,
and its lack of color would indicate
confinement in the stomach Or that its
snakeship had not had an even chance
with other snakes as to getting about
in the world. The snake is now pre-
served in bottle, and Mr. White takes
great pleasure in exhibiting what he
feels has been the source of his stom-
ach troubles.
While Mr. White is by no means pos
tive that the snake was emitted from
his stomach, yet the circumstances, it
must be said, would rather favor the
theory. Mr.. White has certainly felt
better since the snake was found in the
yard, and Mr. Whites habits of life
have been such that no one thinks for
a moment that he ever had snakes in
his boots. IF he carried that snake in
his stomach since the war it knocks
the medical authorities all hollow.