The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-05-13
al HUMAN OSTRICH.
Knives, Keys and Nails Found in a
Mans Stomach.
AMAzEs THE HOSPITAL DOCTORS.
, John Easel, Who Was Known in
Williamsburg rs the Chain.
Swallowing Wonder. Is
tS Operated On.

Williamsburg, were amazed Wednes
day1when, on opening the stomach of
John Easel, Of No. 246 Varet street.
Williamsburg, who had complained of
severe pains, they took from that or
gan enough junk to stock a second
hand hardware store. More remarka
BILE still, it was the second time that
Easel had submitted to such an one
ration, with similar results Easel
recovered quickly from the first ope-
ration, which was performed more
than1four years ago. That of Wednes.
day has taxed his vitality seriously
and his recovery is doubtful.
Easel is but twenty three years old
AS a Tailor he failed to make enough
money to meet his modest needs. and
he determined to do something that
by its seeming impos,ib'lity would
become talked about and insure a bet
ter income. He determined to be.
come,a human ostrich" and carried
out that determination with serious
ness as pathetic as it was remarkably
successful.
BEsGAN SWALLOWING ITAIRpINS.
He began swallowing hairpins, and
finding that he could do that success
fully, substituted nails and pins, and
gradually found that he could even
swallow chains, keys aud pocket
knives, without seriously interfering
with his stomach. lie became what
he wanted to be "A wonderland as
such comms nded a high price for his
remarkable performances.
TIp 1ilyo>yica e,,nn,oIaJ -, 49,
ambition ofhis fe-to he able to con-
tribute more largely to the support Of
his parents. At first he continued
the work at the tailor shop and gave
his performances i'm the evenings.
Gradually, as his fame extended and
his INCOME increased, he deserted the
shop and devoted himself exclusively
to his exhibitions. He became known
as the Human Ostrich" and the
"Chain Swallower," and was in great
demapd.
WHAT TIE X-RAY SHOWED.
Atthe end OF fourteen weeks he was
comPelled to go to st. Johns Hos
pital. in Brooklyn. To the doctors
there he complained of pain and told
them@hat he had been doing. The
surgeons were incredulous, but an
Nj on the stomach showed mass
of snmateria. that made them
lcol t'HatSap. Operations was paces-
,s-,ssv-=7,-e,-Gf,auls--i illciies in
-se.l ,smade, and through it was
take, c collection of nails, chains,
pins, leedles, brass checks, watch
and several other articles, weighing
altogether several pounds.
AS soon as he had recovered. Easel
began again the strange career that
he had mapped out for himself, but
with more caution. He studied him
self closely, and found that it was pos
sible to swallow seemingly impossible
articles without danger After each
exhibition he rested for several days
lie experienced little discomfort, un-
til recently, when the pains that had
troubled him before returned. He
knew, after the usual remedies had
failed, that an operation only would
save him, and he had planned to be
operated on at the Bellevue Hospital
Wednesday.
JUST TO PLEASE Ills FRIENDS.
But on Saturday night the John
Easel Association, named after him,
gave an entertainment at Central and
Willoughby avenues, and rather than
disappoint his friends Easel gave his
usual performance. The next day he
was taken SO violently i'll that he was
removed to the German Hospital.
Again the doctors listened to his
story with increduility Easel had,
as a matter OF precaution, kept a mem.
orandum of the things he had swal-
lowed and knew what were to be ac-
counted for. He told the doctors,
and they smiled at his story, but the
N-ray again corroborated his strange
tale to such an extent that they rea-
lized, no matter what the result of
the operation might he, it was the
only chance for life. House Surgeon
G. @. Pope concluded to perform the
operation Wednesday, and many other
surgeons were at the operating table
to witness the result. An incisi0n four
inches long was made, and gently as
possible the stomach was probed.
FIsIED UP KEY AND CHAIN.
The probe struck something me-
talic, and one OF the surgeons put his
litiilll llltO Vic SlOllldCll anu NlcW OuU
| key and watch chain. The doctors
gaSped with aStonishment. The arti-
cles were among those enumerated by
Easel. Again and again the hand
was gently inserted into the wound,
and again and again brought forth ar
ticleS such rs never before, except
perhaps in Easel S former operation,
had brought from the stomach Of a
living person. When at last the or
gan was found to be empty, ana upon
the operating table lay the pile OF
hardware, the medical men were
speechless with aStoniShmcnt. The
operation was a long and delicate one
and had lasted for more than two
hours.
The PATIENTS vitality had been
greatly exhausted by the long contin-
uance under anaestheticS, and the
shock Of the constant probing Re.
markabe vitality indeed had been
displayed by the survival of the ope-
ration at all, and should he recover,
it will be as marvellous as his feats.
With professional modeSty the sur.
geons attached to sthe hospital are
averse to discussing the remarkable
operation although acknowledging
their amazement over the patient.
1T was the most remarkable col
lection Of substances ever taken from
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