This man was afflicted with a syphilitic affection of the mouth, and he constructed a swab ten inches long with which to cleanse his fauces.

While making the application alone one day, a spasmodic movement caused him to relinquish his grasp on the handle, and the swab disappeared.

He was almost suffocated, and a physician was summoned; but before his arrival the swab had descended into the esophagus.

Two weeks later, gastro-peritoneal symptoms presented, and as the stick was located, gastrotomy was proposed; the patient, however, would not consent to an operation.

On the twenty-sixth day an abscess formed on the left side below the nipple, and from it was discharged a large quantity of pus and blood.