The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-26
Portuguese Man-0f-War
Attacks XIV. Swimmer
LIST Time In 500 Swins
Sudden ASSAULT
STINCS, BURNS,
She KS, SCARES
BIT TEMPORARY L
BY SUSAN McAvoY

II had TO happen some time, an
attack by a Portuguese Man-Of-
War, but wish It hadn't happened
whf was completely alone. and
10 0yards out from shore.
Ye. erday / was swimming hap
piiy ale e from the Casa Marina
70 the Sun and Sand. ] was enjoy
ink the feeling of gliding fast
through the water with my Duck
feet flippers and the de.glassed
mask / wore. Though the water
was q bit murky because Of the
wind, could see enough ahead Of
me TO bar running into sea weed
or coral.
Suddenly . Tsxor-cuf siashed
my ankle. Barracuda. I thought
immediately. pulled my head
out Of The wafer and locked back
In panic. There was q balloon
like gresn-blue man-of-wsr on fige
surface Of fhe wafer. where my
left ankle had been.
Horrified / lifted my burning an
kle out Of the water. made heavy
by the gum-rubber flipper and saw
that there were long blue tentacles
clinging to the skin. / ripped off
the flipper and held the injured an
kle out of water. and shuddering
and moaning removed the blue
tentacles glued.to-my-skln.
| felt a faint from shock at the
unexpected attack and figured that
] was completely alone in the
water, the better part Of valor
would be to keep upright instead
of attempting to swim to 40C
yards to shore.
i've been stung by a man-of-
war"
/ wandered a little woozily in.
side and finally after what seemed
hours Ronnie Martell an old hand
at diving and accustomed to much
worse than men-of-war found the
lotion which is supposed to soothe
the singing.
After ripping off the tentacIes
had placed my hand on my upper
lip to remove my face mask Part
Of the sting remained there and on
my hand.
The lotion seemed to soothe the
sting biz, got on my alcy-
clio and rode slome. As soon as
exercised, pains shot Up my leg
to my abdomen and once more
! got scared.
Visions Of an unsimeiy death
not from en- heroic struggle with
. shark 1ut from, . vnan-of.wsr
bite came to my frightened mind.
] rushed 10 fhe phone and called
my doctor.
PUT ammonia congresses.
twenty 10 one diIution in water, on
II. and keep Il there for twenty
minutes. II the abdomen pains
continue let me know. Call me back
any way"
climbed 10 my apartment and
Kept the ammoniated clothes on the
ankle and read a light novel 10 keep
my mind off the man,of.war. The
Towel, incidently finished after two
hours Of ammonia congresses was
about Key West. called Evening"
Street BY Katrina johnson.
II comforted ME while | las on
my pallet of pain since 1t brought
all the familiar and loved scenes
oi Key West 10 mind and hanishcd
my recent enemy the man.of.war.
Az the end Of twenty minutes al
the compress. the pain in my ahao.
men had gone. | told the doctor
this.
THAT means the poison Is heEng
drawn out at the local spot IL 1T.
tack, he said Just keep Tire com.
presses on al long as possible.
AT 3 when ! was being picked
up TO SO cut, all that was tea was
. singing sensation, and the feeling
Of having been pulled through an
oyerSixed wringer.
My appetite had lelt me with
shock Of attack. Coffee was my on
~ nourishment. AT 10. however, no.
tnre reassegted itself. | was "a.
senoas and downcd tao hot fudge
sundaeS in short order.
Like rider thrown hy horse
who mounts again ard speedily.
hope 70 set hack ia the water, nos
later than tomorrow
Fer benefit 81 those Whe miehi
be fearful Of IRE nssa.cF.~xr. lef
me say 'hat have been xwga.
ming In Key West waters alwess
daily since arrived here ia Ne
Seraber 1850. This is my Firss and
! hope my last aeecvns wigh fhs
eeasfss. That's pretty soed 70.
serd ter . daily swimmer. Ard
u ere shoUia attack aaaln. 1
know ~ha, - Do. merely run fee
. ee'fss " hoVteHals aanssnla,
Apply y diluted BY s,~snsy paris
~sser'snd read KEY West go.
vel that helds my astsaslsa a.
Evening Street d3c.
EIn,tar nsd t.