The fish quickly bolted into his mouth, and, although he grasped the tail with his right hand, and squeezed his pharynx with his left, besides coughing violently, the fish found its way into the esophagus.

Further attempts at extraction were dangerous and quite likely to fail; his symptoms were distressing, he could not hold his head erect without the most agonizing pain and he was almost prostrated from fright and asphyxia; it was thought advisable to push the fish into the stomach, and after an impaction of sixteen hours the symptoms were relieved.

The fish in this instance was the Anabas scandens or "walking perch" of Ceylon, which derives its name from its power of locomotion on land and its ability to live out of water for some time.

It is from four to five inches long and has a dorsal fin as sharp as a knife and directed toward the tail, and pectoral fins following the same direction; these would admit of entrance, but would interfere with extraction.

MacLauren reports the history of a young man who, after catching a fish, placed it between his teeth.