The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-21
MEM OF SOLID Digestion
Points Concerning Humans Who
Swallow Glass and Iron.
Their StOmnchs In Many Respects
Similar to the Organs of Darnyard
anxani, of Pavia - The Ordeal
Forced Upon Dime Museum Freak

Every now and then that contingent OF
the wonder-loving public that patronizes
dime museums and sideshows is startled.
if not Mortified, by the sight of human
ostrich" making a cold repast on broken
glass and carpet tacks.
The explanation Of such phenomena has
long been known among medical men: in
fact, ever since the first human ostrich"
was subjected to a post-mortem examina-
ton. 1t is found that the stomachs Of
these men are, through freak of nature,
practically the same as those OF certain
fowls, such as turkeys, geese, etc. A vast
number of experiments, some Of very
cruel nature. have been made upon these
featherless bipeds, in order 10 determine
the extent of the muscular power Of their
digestive organs.
NJ SpalanZani, professor Of natural his
tory at Pavia, relates in his celebrated
work upon the subject not only the dis
coveries Of his predecessors, but has en-
riched his work with numerous expert
ments and observations MADE by himself.
At first he made experiments on animals
with strong muscular stOmachs, as COM
mon fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons,
etc. In imitation of Reaumur, he made
use of small glass and metal balls and
tubes, perforated with many holes. which,
filed with barley. he forced down the
threats into the stomaehs OF these animals,
where hey remained twenty-four, and, in
some c. ses. for forty-eight hours When
the animals were opened. and the balls
taken out il could not be discovered that
the gastric Juice had made the smallest
impression upon them.
Tin tubes full OF grain when thrown
into the stomachs of turkeys and allowed
to continue there for cJnside r. BIZ time,
were found to be broken. crushed. CT dis
torted SpalanzaIi fixed twelve strong
tin needles in ball of lead, the points
projecting about 4 quarter of an inch
from the surface, and forced it Jwn the
throat of a turkey, who retained it FIR
day and half without showing the least
symptom of uneasiness: the p in 5 Ct the
needles were broken of close to the sur
face of the ball. except two or three, of
which the stumpS projected d LITTLE high
er. He tSpalanzanil made a still more
cruel experiment, by fixing tive I've small
lancets, very sharp both at o-nts and
edges, such as he used for the dissection
of small animals, in a similar ball Of
lead and giving it to n turkey. AT er the
expira tion of eight hours the amin was
opened, but nothing appeared except h,
naked ball, the twelve lancets having
been broken to pieces. The stomach was
found, moreover, to be perfectly sound
and entire. which is sufficient denonstra-
ton of the wonderful commu ing fierce Of
these animals and of the human os-
triches."
Spaianzani. by the way, became con-
WINGED through his experiments that the
small stones which are so frequently
found in the stomachs of various birds
and fowls, are not at all necessary to the
trituration of the firmest food, though
when put in motion by the gastric mus
cles. they may produce some effect on
the contents OF the stomach and supply
in birds the want OF teeth.
A number of experiments have been
made upon ravens, crows, etc. the power
and action of whose stomachs are SUI
perior to the membranous kind, but great
ly inferior to those OF the muscular. The
tin tubes or balls which, in pize1ns and
turkeys were flattened and dis isur d. re-
manned unaltered in the stomachs of
crows. Yet though they are unable to
distort tin tubes, this effect they pro-
duced upon tubes OF lead. On this kind
of birds experiments may be repeated
without destroying any CT them, because
they have the power of disgorging SUB
stances which they are incapable CT d.
costing, in the same manner as falcons
and other birds of prey throw up the
feathers and hair of the animals they
have devOured. When the tubes were
filed with entire grains, as wheat and
beans. the gastric juice exsrted no SOL
vent power. But when the birds, from
excessive hunger, swallowed the see ds en-
tire, they were obtained from them en-
tire. Experiments of the same nature
and with the same purpose have been
tried continually on animals with thin
membranous stomachs. such as average
men, frogs, reptiles, fishes, sheep, cows.
horses, eagles, dogs. etc. In these the