EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 21, 3 December 1874, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.

A Madras correspondent sends the following, to the 'Medical Times and Gazette ': — One morning, in the midst of the visit, word was brought to Dr Paul that a man had come to the hospital with a live fish in his throat. Accordingly, there was a general rush made to the verandah, where he saw a coolie, aged about 20, 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 in 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 foot, one in each hand, and to make sure of a fifth, he tried to secure 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, about 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 very pretty case. But as the first point was to enable the man to breathe, in less time than it takes me to write it a bed was brought out into the verandah and he was laid on it and tracheotomised. Then, -what was to be done 1 Pull the fish out any one would say j but although it was easy to seize the tail, there were the erect spines of the fins which would have lacerated the parts past recovery had the 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 he turned upwards with a "blunt hook, and so be dragged out. But the fish would not move. So it was necessary to leave the patient iot a few hours. He was breathing freely, and nourished with beef-tea enemata. Next morning it was found that the fish had become decomposed, and was easily broken up into a putrid pulp, some of which made its -way into the trachea, whilst the spines offered the greatest obstacle to any removal by the mouth. In order to aftord room for clearing the throat, the wound made in the tracheotomy was enlarged upwards through the junction of the alae of the thyroid ; but the patient was very exhausted, and died before relief could be given. I believe this accident is pretty well known amongst fishing communities, and that there is a preparation in the museum of one of the Scottish universities showing a pharynx, with the fish when it was ejected piecemeal next day, and that the patient recovered. But in order that such a policy may be successful, the patient must be provided with means of* breathing, and' the fish should have no spines.