PECULIAR PILLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

PECULIAR PILLS.

A NEW CURE FOR OBESITY.

FISH HOOKS AND FILLINGS FOR

FAT FOLK.

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, Maxell 3

Mile. Regine Martial, a young Parisian actress who has recently made several successes at the Ambigu Theatre, was arrested the other day for attempting a highly dramatic revenge upon a fairer rival. Mile. Martial, it appears, had been upon what is euphemistically called 'intimate terms' with a well-known di-aniatist, but of late a coolness had arisen between the lovers consequent on a certain Mile. Delacroix, a fair and frail friend of Mile. Martial, having gained the lion's share of the dramatist's favours. Mile. Martial, however, managed to conceal from her friend the fact that she was madly jealous, and when the fair Delacroix bemoaned a very visible increase of bulk, sympathised deeply and proffered her a remedy which she herself had found most efficacious. The remedy was simple. All that Delacroix was called upon to do was to Swallow a few innocent-looking capsules every day,- and these her friend provided. After a week or ten days' treatment the patient's bulk showed no signs of decrease, and she complained that the capsules didn't seem to agree with her. Mile. Martial however pressed her to persevere, assuring her that though this particular thinning process was always accompanied with some discomfort, the pains were not half so bad after the first few days. So Mile. Delacroix continued the treatment. But one fine day one of the capsules accidentally broke in her mouth. She ejected the contents on the instant, and then discovered that they consisted of a small fish-hook, some lead fillings, and a little bicarbonate of soda. Mile. Delacroix hurried at once to the police station with the remainder of the capsules, and these on examination proved to ' contain similar 'drugs.' The fish-hook was present in all but the other ingredients varied. In place of lead fillings one contained that valuable tonic, steel, but in the somewhat objectionable form of the broken off points of rusty needles. In other tin tacks and bent pins played a prominent part, a little cayenne pepper or common salt being mixed therewith instead of bicarbonate. Mile. Martial's arrest was a matter of minutes. She confessed at once to having filled the capsules herself in order to do her rival to death. So far however, Mile, Delacroix has not succumbed to the new cure for pbesity, though, she is yery; ill with nervous

prostration, as any one would be knowing that he or she had probably the best part of a score of nice new fish-hooks wandering- irresponsibly about the abdominal- regions, to say nothing of stray tin tacks, needle points, and other items of an equally indissoluble character.