THE HUMAN PINCUSHION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 962, 4 March 1911, Page 3

THE HUMAN PINCUSHION.

A MARVELLOUS PERFORMANCE. At the Masonic Hall last night Mousouda, the human pincushion, gave a very extraordinary exhibition which consisted of sticking steel pins through various parts of the arms and legs, ears and cheeks and as a climax he sewed up his mouth. The pins used were ordinary steel hat pins and there was no doubt about their penetrating the flesh. In connection with this extraordinary young American, we learnt that for the past fourteen years he has been performing extraordinary feats throughout the United States, South America, and Australasia. Together with his brother he was tffuder engagement for a time with Bostock and Wombell and Ringle Bros. He is the self-same artist who performed the feat of being buried for nine days, aud performs other gruesome and unnatural teats. Asked whether he felt any pain when the needles penetrated the flesh he answered that he did not. He said the needles are sterilised in bichoride of mercury. He does not use any drug to deaden the pain, but simply concentrates his mind on something other than the operation. He agreed it was a case of self hypnotism. Being still sceptical we asked whether he would be prepared to allow a medical man to operate on him. He readily agreed, aud this morning in the presence of the Mayor aud one or two others he allowed a local to select his own needle any part of his anatomy for the “jobbing” process. The calf of the leg was selected and a needle driven over two inches into the flesh. The man never winced and declared he felt no pain. He stated that on one occasion a needle broke aud in the presence of the audience he made an iaicision aud withdrew the needle, Hid averred that the operation was painless. Mousouda gives his final performance in the Masonic Hall this evening.