Henrion continued his calling until 1820, when,
for a moderate sum, he was induced to swallow some nails and a
plated iron spoon 5 1/2 inches long and one inch in breadth. He
died seven days later.
According to Bonet, there was a man by the name of Pichard who
swallowed a razor and two knives in the presence of King Charles
II of England, the King himself placing the articles into the
man's mouth. In 1810 Babbington and Curry are accredited with
citing the history of an American sailor in Guy's Hospital,
London, who frequently swallowed penknives for the amusement of
his audiences. At first he swallowed four, and three days later
passed them by the anus; on another occasion he swallowed 14 of
different sizes with the same result. Finally he attempted to
gorge himself with 17 penknives, but this performance was
followed by horrible pains and alarming abdominal symptoms. His
excrement was black from iron. After death the cadaver was opened
and 14 corroded knives were found in the stomach, some of the
handles being partly digested; two were found in the pelvis and
one in the abdominal cavity. Pare recalls the instance of a
shepherd who suffered distressing symptoms after gulping a knife
six inches long.
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