EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1956, 12 November 1874, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.

(fbom the medical times and gazette) One morning, in the midst of the visit, word wa3 brought to Dr. Paul that a man had come to the hospital with a Jive fisb Jin his throat. Accordingly,fthere was a general rush made to the verandah, where he saw a Coolie, aged twenty, walking in supported by a man on each side, breathing with intense difficulty, and in great distress. The story was soon told. He was that morning employed emptying a tank, and in catching the fish that were left floundering when the water was drawn off. In his eagerness he had one under each fodi, one in each hand, and to make sure of a fifth, he Iried to secure it by taking its head between his front teeth, but the fish was too quick for him, and wriggling itself free from the teeth, made its way into the pharynx. A fish of the same sort and size was produced. It was like a perch, 4in. long, with a most formidable dorsal fin, the spines of which, when erected by being pushed the wrong way, stood out at least lin. A finger passed into the throat easily felt the fish. Here was a pretty case. But as the first point was to enable the man to breath, in less time than it-takes me to write it a bed was brought out into the verandah, and he was laid upon it and tracheotomiaed. Then what was to be done ! Pull the fish out anyone would say ; but although it was easy to size the tail, there was the erect spine 3of the fin, which would have lacrated the parts past recovery had fie fruitless attempt been made. Then it was suggested to push the fish down into the stomach ; but alas ! it lay doubled up with its head to the left, and this could not be done. Then, when this was ascertained, it was hoped that the head might be turned upwards with a blunt hook, and so be dragged out. But the fish would not move. So it was necessary to leave the patent for a few hours. He was breathing freely, and nourshed with beef tea enemata. Next morning it was found that the fish had becomedec imposed and it was easily broken up into the trachea whilst the spines offered the greatest obstacle to. any removal by the mouth. In order to afford room for clearing the throat the wound made in the tracheotomy was enlarged upwards through the junction of the alse of the thyroid ; but the patient was very exhausted, and died before relief could be given. 1 beleve this accident is v'^pretty well known amongst fishing communities, and that there is a preparation in the museum of one of the Scottish universities showing a pharnyx with the fish impacted. A short time afterwards the. history of just such a case was related in the Indian newspapers as having occurred in Ceylon. It is said that the fiah was allowed to pwtrify inihepharynx, whence it was ejected picemeal next day, and that the patient recovered. But in order that Euch a policy may be successful, the patient moat be provided with the means of breathing, and the fish should have no Bpines. ____^____ — .