Swallows Lunch Before Buying It.

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5330, 17 February 1947, Page 3

Swallows Lunch Before Buying It.

DISTRESSING EXPERIENCE OF MANLY LIFESAVER. •Fouth Steyne lii'esaver Lloyd Watts swallowed a florin while rescuing a girl at Manly; recently at Royal North Shore Hospital a doctor retrieved the coin with forceps. Watts, who lives in Raglan Street, s Manly, went home after the operation, with the 2s in his pocket. "I was on patrol and had the 2s in my hand ready to buy lunch when I saw the girl in difficulties," Watts said la'st night. "I popped the coin in my mouth, got a mouthful of water, and swallowed it." Doctors at Manly Hospital had me taken to .Royal North Shore Hospital, where a specialist operated *t 7 p.m. "They could not (give afn artaesthetic because tbe coin might have moved up, and then dropped into my lung. "It was the worst five or 10 mmutes in my life while the doctor prqbed for the coin and then worked it out in stages with long forceps. "The doctou gave me the 2s as soon as he got it out. "Then dad and\l took more than an hour to come home by tram and bus. "We passed my mother on the way. She thouglit I had been admitted and was on her Avay to the hospital. "I'm igoing to spend the 2s tomorrow. It could^ only bring me bad luclc if I lcept it." D'octors located the eoiijn wedged about eight inches down Watts' 'oesophagus (the eanal from mouth to stomach). The lifesaver was suffering discomfort, but was in no real danger. A doctor said later that it was necessary to remove an o'bject as large as a florin.