The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-04-06
HOSPITAL RELICS.
Odd Things to lie Seen In . Greet
London Esta tablishment.

I
London Establishment.
If the reader can imagine the cure Of
every one Of the 100000 to 5000, 1000
persons living Ia London Of some all
ment or disease he holds In his minds
eye a true picture Of the vast work
done by Guys hospital since its founda-
ton. The south sea bubble, like many
another financial catastrophe, ruined
thousands OF citizens, but IL enabled
Thomas Guy, who sold his investments
in the stock to the great advantage Of
other people as well as himself to
found the institution which bears his
name and to restore 10 health down to
the present time) over 100000 human
beings.
Among the many curiosities exhibit
ed In the famous museum ut Guys is q
large piece of cardboard bearing the
remnants Of thirty-fve pocketknives,
which were swallowed by an American
sailor. His name was John Cummings,
and he was admitted TO the hospital In
1872. A small book, containing also
the manuscript Of the printed copy,
narrates the particulars OF this remark
able case, and 1t may be perused by
the privileged visitor to Guys.
1t appears that Cummings during a
spree ashore challenged the feats OF n
conjuror who had made pretense Of
swallowing knives. Encouraged by his
drunken comrades, the sailor actually
swallowed an opened pocketknife, to
the amaZement Of the conjuror Feel
ing no immediate pain, he put five other
knives out OF sight in the same way.
In two years time he had, In the course
Of his drunken bouts, shown sufficient
bravado to enlarge his internal ar
mory by twenty nine additional knives.
When. after his foolishness had brought
him to the hospital and subsequently
to his grave, a postmortem examination
was made the thirty-five knives were
removed from his stomach by the amaz-
ed surgeons.
These interesting relics are exhibited
among others in the surgical classroom.
whittier the students return from the
dssecting room to correct their impress
sions. Close by is another interesting
ODJttl, al SldSs case u
ber of what appear to be Illuminated
Darchments. The grewsOme nature OF
these exhibits grows upon the visitor
when he learns that they are simply
patches OF tattooed human skin pre-
served in spirits. The inscription upon
each enables one to trace the occupa-
tion and character of the unfortunate
patient from whom il was taken. One
was colored sailor, a native OF Afri-
ca. On some twelve square inches Of his
skin IL worked an artistic representa-
ton OF the most brilliant plumaged
birds known in the tropics.
Guys anatomical wax models are
said to be the finest in the world. One
OF these is extremely valuable, the hos
pital authorities having refused the
sum OF $1,000 offered for 1t by for
cign medical celebrity. 1t Is an alb
solutcly perfect model Of the upper ex
tremity of the body, showing every
muscle gland. vein, nerve and artery.
1t took Joseph Townc, n clever dem
onstrator at Guys, fully two years to
make II, but with him in 1879 also died
the secret OF the process by which the
wonderful construction of the human
body was reproduced I'm wax with such
marvellous tidclity-London Standard.