Now here’s a strange story from 163 years ago taken from the Hamilton Advertiser on 14th September 1861. Thanks to Gordon Cook for sharing.
“FOOLISH FROLICS. — On Tuesday last, while a number of miners and others were wiling away an hour by the “roaring fires” of our local smithy, the conversation, as frequently happens under such circumstances, turned to feats of strength, and various stories were related regarding horse-shoe twisting, iron bar bending, lifting od dead weights, and other marvellous deeds of power.”
“One of the party, named Arthur McCormick, a miner, residing at High Blantyre, who appears to have been endowed by nature with an excellent case of molars and incisors, anxious to emulate some of the feats related, boasted that he could lift more with his teeth than any man present with both hands. A string was accordingly procured, and one end fastened to a heavy bar of iron. McCormick then took the other end in his mouth, and proceeded to lift the bar, when the string slipped through his teeth, came in contact with his tongue, from the point of which it severed about half-an-inch! Medical aid having been immediately procured, the poor fellow had his tongue dressed, an operation attended by much suffering. Probably this severe lesson will prevent him in future from indulging in such foolish frolics.”
I tried to find Arthur McCormick in the Blantyre 1861 census, but the only Arthur returning any result that year is Arthur CORBETT. It is coincidental that he’s noted as being an ironstone Miner, at Hunthill….. so it could be the same person(?), with reporters perhaps mishearing or incorrectly spelling the surname. Sounds a horrific injury and yes, very stupid. I bet he had problems speaking afterwards! AI imagines this scene.
