How on earth could a person swallow an ink-stand? and ‘unthinkingly’, at that? This gentleman seemed to regards everything as fair game for consumption. Apparently there is even a word for the condition people suffer from who are compelled to swallow weird things!
“A German Professor at Wirtemburgh, has published an attested account of a gardener, lately deceased, of the name of Jacob Kahlens, who not only consumed an immoderate quantity of all kins of food, but several other substances, such as walnut shells. – When at gentlemen’s houses, he would frequently eat pastry, with the vessels that contained it, and would at other times swallow the glasses out of which he drank. His teeth were so strong and sharp, that he would split the thickest deals with the greatest facility, and would often perform that service for the maids of the house. Rats, mice, moles, and live fowls, he looked upon as the most exquisite dainties. And at one time, unthinkingly, he is said to have swallow ed a pewter ink-stand, with the pens, sand, &c. – this was verified upon the oath of an eye witness. At another time, he devoured a pair of bagpipes in the presence of several people, and turning upon the piper, the man was so terrified, that he jumped out of the window. – These, and exploits of a similar cast, gave the common people and idea that he was assissted by an evil spirit, in consequence of which the clergy of the place examined a number of witnesses, but as no crimination followed, he died peaceably in the 79th year of his age.”
The Stamford Mercury, 29th January, 1796.