The specimen is accompanied by a colored
picture of the sufferer himself in two positions. The name of the
sailor was Taylor, and the accident occurred aboard a brig lying
in the London docks. One of Taylor's mates was guiding the pivot
of the try-sail into the main boom, when a tackle gave way. The
pivot instantly left the man's hand, shot through the air point
downward striking Taylor above the heart, passing out lower down
posteriorly, and then imbedded itself in the deck. The
unfortunate subject was carried at once to the London Hospital,
and notwithstanding his transfixion by so formidable an
instrument, in five months Taylor had recovered sufficiently to
walk, and ultimately returned to his duties as a seaman.
In the same museum, near to this spike, is the portion of a shaft
of the carriage which passed through the body of a gentleman who
happened to be standing near the vehicle when the horse plunged
violently forward, with the result that the off shaft penetrated
his body under the left arm, and came out from under the right
arm, pinning the unfortunate man to the stable door. Immediately
after the accident the patient walked upstairs and got in bed;
his recovery progressed uninterruptedly, and his wounds were
practically healed at the end of nine weeks; he is reported to
have lived eleven years after this terrible accident.
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