'Sword Throat' Just One Peril of Sword-Swallowing

Thank God for the British Medical Journal.

While many prominent American medical journals are deadly serious, the BMJ likes to let its hair down once a year. In its Christmas issue, the journal tackles topics like the longevity of Oscar-winning screenwriters (less than that of nominated-but-didn't-win screenwriters) and the reasons why Danish people are so darned happy with their lives (it's not that "blonds have more fun" -- the researchers report that Swedes are blonder.)

In this year's issue, a couple researchers look at the health problems afflicting sword swallowers, those performers who like to put swords down their esophagus... es. (esophogi?)

A survey of 46 sword swallowers found that the habit isn't terribly unhealthy:

Major complications are more likely when the swallower is distracted or swallows multiple or unusual swords or when previous injury is present. Perforations mainly involve the oesophagus [that's Brit-talk] and usually have a good prognosis.

Nineteen of those surveyed said they'd had sore throats, called "sword throats" in their world. Six had perforated their pharynx or esophagus, and 16 had suffered from intestinal bleeding.

There are other hazards. One sword swallower had to have abdominal surgery to remove a bread knife (it isn't explained how that happened.) And then there are these unfortunate events:

...one swallower lacerated his pharynx when trying to swallow a curved sabre, a second lacerated his oesophagus and developed pleurisy after being distracted by a misbehaving macaw on his shoulder, and a belly dancer suffered a major haemorrhage when a bystander pushed dollar bills into her belt causing three blades in her oesophagus to scissor.

Three blades? Now that's a woman dedicated to her art.

P.S. The photo is of one of the study authors, risking sword throat.