The Religious Herald

Singular Circumstance.

A child of Mr. Elbridge Gorham of this village, aged about three years, had a needle extracted from her side on Saturday morning last by Dr. Bates, which it is supposed she had swallowed, as there is no other way of accounting for its presence. The circumstance attending its discovery are simply these: -

A few days previous, the child stumbled and fell down, (as small children are apt to) and immediately showed symptoms of severe hurt, and occasionally afterward, difficulty of breathing, complaining at the same time of a pricking at her side. On Saturday morning her distress was so apparent that medical assistance was called in by the parents, thinking she might have received in her fall some internal injury. On examination by Dr. Bates, it was found to be a needle, the point of which rested on the lungs, and occasioned the difficulty of breathing. An operation was immediately performed and the needle extracted. The child is now doing well. It is supposed that in her fall, a sudden impetus was given the needle which caused the discovery of its presence, where it would otherwise have remained until it gradually worked its way out.—Barre Ms. Patriot.