An English writer thus speaks of an indiscreet adventure of a
costermonger and an electric eel:
Before this gymnotus was publicly exhibited it was deposited
at a French hotel in the neighborhood of Leicester Square. A
burly fishmonger’s man, named Wren, brought in the daily supply
of fish to the establishment, when some of the servants told
him they had an eel so large that he would be afraid to pick it
up. He laughed at the idea of being afraid of an eel, and when
taken to the tub boldly plunged in both hands to seize the fish.
A hideous roar followed this attempt. Wren had experienced a
demonstration of the “psychic force” of the electrical eel, and
his terror so largely exaggerated the actual violence of the
shock, that he believed for the remainder of his life that he
was permanently injured by it. He had periodical spasms across
the chest, which could only be removed by taking a half-quarter
of gin. As he was continually narrating his adventure to
public-house audiences, and always had a spasm on concluding,
which his hearers usually contributed to relieve, the poor
fellow’s life was actually shortened by the shock from the
gymnotus.
The man’s recurring pains usually made their appearance at places and
times when thirst could be quenched. Many bodily ills are simulated or
imaginary.
(2499)