Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

A woman in France for a considerable time had a swelling in her belly without knowing the cause thereof, as feeling no pain. The physician applied several remedies to deliver her, but in vain, for it grew bigger; and in consideration of her age the Faculty of Physicians allowed her a pension to live on during her life, upon condition that she would consent, that when dead her belly might be opened; which being done in the presence of the Faculty, out leaped a Serpent of great length, and coiled in rings; it lay in a bag of flesh half a inch thick, and received its nourishment from that woman, but had not eaten away any of the entrails of her body. The same was sent to Paris in order to be dissected.