Cork girl vomited 7ft worm on 1825 emigrant ship

A 12-YEAR-OLD Irish girl required medical treatment after vomiting a seven-foot worm as she sailed to a new life in Canada in the 19th century, documents revealed yesterday.

Ellen McCarthy was a passenger on board the Elizabeth ship taking emigrants from Cork to Quebec when she fell ill, expelling three worms in total.

Her unusual case was described by the ship’s surgeon, called P Power, in June 1825.

The medic’s account is one of more than 1,000 Royal Navy Medical Officer Journals made accessible to the public following a two-year cataloguing project at the National Archives in Kew.

Power’s handwritten notes state: “Complained yesterday evening of pain in the bottom of the belly increased on pressure, abdomen hard and swollen, picks her nose, starts in her sleep, bowels constipated, pyrexia, tongue foul, pulse quick, skin hot, great thirst.

“Her mother brought me a lumbricus (worm) this morning 87 inches [7.25ft] long which the patient vomited. The medicine operated well.”

The naval surgeon treated the girl with a range of syrups and injections including barley water, calomel, jalap and brandy punch to ease the symptoms and restore her digestive system to normality.

But he singled out a substance he called oil of “terebouth” – understood to refer to terebinth or turpentine – for having the greatest effect in dispelling worms.

Two days later, on June 15, she was “very ill and feverish” and Power gave her a senna infusion to act as a laxative which he said prompted the patient to pass a “great quantity of slimey matter”.

As the days wore on, Ellen complained of pain in the abdomen and Power reported: “Been very feverish thro’ the night and was at times delirious, tongue furred, teeth covered with a black crust”.

He administered the turpentine medicine and on June 18 he wrote: “In the night she has one motion in which two worms were discovered one 13 and a half inches and the other seven.

“She is very weak and constantly moaning but the heat and fever is decreased and I entertain hopes if she is not too weak of an ultimate recovery.”

Ellen remained ill, however, with dilated pupils and “total insensibility”, according to the surgeon.

But her condition gradually improved in a “pleasing” manner and on June 29, Mr Power stated Ellen was “convalescent”.