A STRANGE ACCIDENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1139, 25 August 1883, Page 3

A STRANGE ACCIDENT.

Recently the particulars of a remarkable accident came to our knowledge, the subject of the accident was Stillie, traveller for Messrs Blackie and Son, publishers, London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. About sixteen or seventeen months ago Mr Stillie was in Australia. The weather was very hot, and he took a hammock and suspended it under the verandah of the house he was staying in, as a bed at night. The mosquitos were tioublesome, and, as he had often done previously, he lighted his pipe after getting into the hammock to keep his tormentors away until he should fall asleep. The pipe he used was a meerschaum one, with a bone stalk which was screwed on. The full length of this part of the stalk was inch' s. The howl of the pipe had been 'oose, though unknown to Mr S illie at the time. During sleep the boal of the pipe became detached from the stalk, and he had unconsciously sucked the stalk down the wmdpipe, and it found a lodgement on the top of the light lung. Of this he was quite unconscious at the time, and the absence of the stem on the following day excited no suspicion in his mind He began to suffer from an irritating cough, and on the doctor being consulted he stated that he was suffering from chronic bronchitis. In Melbourne subsequently he consulted other medical men, but all told him the same tale—chronic bronchitis. On his arrival in New Zealand, more than twelve months ago, he suffered a good dea' when in Dunedin, and was jnfqrmed by the doctor he consulted there the same story ; but ho promised to cure him of chronic bronchitis if he would lie up for six weeks 1 Mr Stillie did not see his way to do that, and continued until about six weeeks ago. to suffer from his chronic complaint, .all whom he consulted agreed upon the ailment from which he suffered save one chemist in Melbourne, who asserted that his trouble was not bronchitis, whatever it was. About six weeks ago Mr Stillie was in Wellington, and was s ized with a severe fit of coughing, and keeping his head in a stooping position while so coughing he ultimately coughed up the long concealed pipe staik. An abscess formed where the stalk had so long rested, and he was attended to at the Hospital here soon after his arrival in Auckland. He is now staying at the Albert Hotel, and will be glad to show the cause of so much suffering to any medical man who may feel interest in the recital of the particulars of his case.— New Zealand Herald.