HUMAN OSTRICHES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3223, 16 January 1917, Page 2

HUMAN OSTRICHES.

MEN WHO DIET THEMSELVES ON BROKEN GLASS AND IRON RIVETS.

The people who, at fairs and elsewhere, smash up glass tumblers and eat, or pretend to eat, the powdered fragments, varying the feat by seemingly swallowing tin-tacks and other equally indigestible articles, are usually impostors. These "human ostriches," as they style themselves, for the most part rely upon sleight-of-hand ior their performances. There- are, however, real human ostriches. They are sufferers (from a complaint known technically as "pica," or the unnatural craving for abnormal dret.

This curious complaint is not infrequently seen in a mild form in young girls, who will eat powdered slate pencils, chalk, and even cinders, with seeming relish. It passes off, as a rule, as they grow into womanhood.

The more serious chronic cases of pica in adults are usually confined >o tho male sex. One sufferer —a dock labourer —on being admitted to hospital and operated upon, was found to have in his stomach nearly four pounds of metallic objects, amongst them being a chisel, five inches long, and an asortment of bolts, coins, nuts, rivets, wire nails tin-tacks, screws and hooks. The ipationt recovered!, but six months later lie was hack again in hospital, haying found the craving for an ostrich diet irresistible.

Some years ago a genuine human ostrich used to frequent various publichouses in the East End of London, and for a. .small wager lie would take a drinking glass from tho bar counter, grind it to fragments beneath his heel, and cat it. He was several times admitted to hospital, and twice operated upon. Eventually ho died of an ulc'rated stomach, due to Tiis strange diet.