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London. The troupe was led by the famous juggler and sword swallower Ramo Samee, who continued to perform until his death in London in August 1850, having at times also toured Europe and
America. From 1850 to the 1890s a small number of sword swallowers performed in the UK, such as Martha Mitchell (c. 1855) and Benedetti (1863–1895), and in the US, including Lawson Peck (c. 1850s), Ling Look (c. 1872), Wandana (d. 1875), and Harry Parsons (d. 1880). The best-known North American sword swallower of this time was Fred McLone, better known to the public as "Chevalier Cliquot", who performed from 1878 to the early 20th century.
69:
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248:, the sword passes swiftly, assisted by gravity, straightening the flexible esophagus. The stomach, at an angle to the esophagus, is brought into line as the sword enters through the cardiac opening. Some swallowers consume a large meal or drink water before performing to give the stomach a more vertical orientation, allowing for easier passage of the sword. Careful focus is required to complete the process without injury, as the sword passes within millimetres of vital body parts such as the aorta, heart and lungs.
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tall unicycle) and 'Longest lightning bolt to strike swallowed sword'. The measured distance the stream of electrical discharge traveled from
Australia's largest Tesla Coil, owned and operated by Peter Terren (AKA: Dr Electric), to the handle of Chayne's swallowed sword was 3 feet 10 inches. The sword blade measured 62 cm and was swallowed all the way to the hilt on April 20, 2013, at Perth, WA, Australia. As of July 2016 The Space Cowboy currently holds 44 official
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Most serious sword swallowing injuries and fatalities occur after minor injuries or while attempting a feat beyond that of a normal sword swallow. The most common injury is a sore throat when first learning, after frequent consecutive performances, or after swallowing curved swords or several swords
190:
also saw an increase in sword swallowing interest during this period, with many cross-Atlantic influences. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, traveling magic shows from the Orient toured Europe and
America; some included sword swallowing. The middle of the 20th century saw a demise
519:
Chayne
Hultgren (a.k.a. The Space Cowboy) also holds the most official 'Guinness World Record' for sword swallowing including 'Most swords swallowed at once' (24 swords), 'Most swords swallowed while juggling' (18 swords), 'Most swords swallowed while riding a unicycle' (3 swords swallowed on a 3m
515:
The
Guinness World Record for 'Most swords swallowed underwater' is 5 and was achieved at the Aquarium of the Smokies on February 13, 2016 by Chris Steele. He was also the first person to swallow a sword underwater on May 9, 2006 at Manly Ocean World Aquarium in Sydney Australia. He performed this
150:
According to an early 19th-century
English magazine article the abilities of sword-swallowers in India were considered incredible when first reported in England. In 1813 'swallowing the sword' was advertised as among the new and astonishing feats performed by the Indian Jugglers then appearing in
332:
In 1897, a
Scottish physician named Stevens performed digestive experiments with a sword swallower assistant. Small metal tubes, pierced with holes and filled with meat, were swallowed and after a time regurgitated, allowing Stevens to examine the extent of the digestion that had taken place.
336:
In 1906, a doctor named Cremer performed an electrocardiogram by passing an electrode down the esophagus of a sword swallower. This approach has since been proven useful by numerous studies; esophageal recording at a location in proximity to the heart improves signal detection.
328:
In 1868, Adolf
Kussmaul of Freiburg, Germany, performed an esophagoscopy on a sword-swallower using a rigid 47 cm tube, mirrors, and a gasoline lamp. The apparatus, an early endoscope, allowed him to examine the esophagus and the fundus of the stomach.
257:
at once. Swallowing multiple swords simultaneously over time can also lead to distension of the esophagus. A minor injury may predispose the performer to sustaining a more major one, including perforation of the esophagus,
169:
featured sword swallowers. In Europe performers tried to swallow large numbers of swords; in
America there was a focus on the novel and bizarre. Some tried to swallow longer swords, many swords, hot swords,
800:
Martin, Matthew MD, Scott Steele, MD, Philip
Mullenix, MD, William Long, MD, and Seth Izenberg, MD. "Management of Esophageal Perforation in a Sword Swallower: A Case Report and Review of the Literature."
536:
Thomas Blackthorne made the sword known as "The Sword of Swords". It holds the Guinness World Record for the most swallowed sword and has been swallowed by 40 of the world's most known sword swallowers.
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and was popular at festivals and other large gatherings. It began to die out in the mid-19th century and was outlawed in Scandinavia in 1893. Prolific swallower Teodor Olsen famously made an appeal to
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holds the Guinness World Record for "The Most Swords Swallowed and Twisted at One Time" by swallowing ten 27 inch swords one at a time and then twisting all ten swords 180 degrees in his throat.
622:'The swallowing of the sword, and the novelty of the other performances, have attracted the attention of the public beyond any thing that has appeared in the metropolis for many years past.'
261:, heart, lungs, and other organs in proximity to the path of the sword, or intestinal bleeding. Twenty-nine deaths have been reported as a result of sword swallowing injuries since 1880.
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The abilities of sword-swallowers have proven useful to the progress of medical knowledge, specifically in the development and advancement of upper endoscopy.
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289:. The injury was found to be immediately below the esophageal sphincter, and the patient was admitted to intensive care and placed on intravenous
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512:
In 2009, the Guinness World Record for longest sword swallowed was achieved by Natasha Veruschka with a 58 cm (22.83 in) long sword.
829:"A New High-Resolution Esophageal Electrocardiography Recording Technique: An Experimental Approach for the Detection of Myocardial lschemia."
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56:
in the traditional sense. The natural processes that constitute swallowing do not take place, but are repressed to keep the passage from the
381:
to explore whether the techniques involved in sword swallowing could be used to help patients who suffer from swallowing disorders such as
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According to a study on 8 "normal subjects", the transverse diameter of the pharynx at its smallest point is on average 1.7±0.5 cm.
527:
In 2017, the Guinness World Record for "Largest Curve in a Sword Swallowed" was achieved by Franz Huber with a 133 degree curved sword.
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George McArthur - known professionally as "George the Giant (the world's tallest sword swallower)", who played Colossus on the film
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with a left cervical esophagogastrostomy. The patient recovered normally, but ceased the practice of sword swallowing.
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A 59-year-old man experienced chest pain and severe dysphagia following practice for his sword swallowing act. An
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worked with physicians and researchers in swallowing disorders at Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Center at
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662:
Rodenstein, D. O.; Dooms, G.; Thomas, Y.; Liistro, G.; Stanescu, D. C.; Culee, C.; Aubert-Tulkens, G. (1990).
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Wang Lei from Dezhou, China holds the Guinness World Record for most swords swallowed in three minutes (27).
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must be controlled while the sword, lubricated by saliva, is inserted through the mouth and past the pharynx.
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34:
72:"The Great Victorina Troupe: originators and presenters of the most marvelous sword swallowing act on earth"
258:
664:"Pharyngeal shape and dimensions in healthy subjects, snorers, and patients with obstructive sleep apnoea"
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of the Sword Swallowers Association International and Dr. Brian Witcombe, consultant radiologist at the
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297:. She recovered well and returned to all previous activities with the exception of sword swallowing.
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to the stomach open for the sword. The practice is dangerous and there is risk of injury or death.
285:(vomiting blood) after pricking her throat while practicing her sword swallowing act with a sharp
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on a study to determine whether sword swallowing could be used to help patients who suffer from
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In 2023, Heather Holliday became the first person to hold a title for swallowing a neon tube.
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271:
30:
563:
American sideshow: an encyclopedia of history's most wondrous and curiously strange performers
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was found and surgically repaired; 19 days later a leak at the site required a transhiatal
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223:
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The performer must first lean the head back, hyper-extending the neck, and relax the upper
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124:, it developed into yet a third distinct type of performance associated with the medieval
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From 2003 to 2006, a research study on the effects of sword swallowing was conducted by
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Magic, Stage Illusions, and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography
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26:
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757:"Sword Diet Did Not Agree: M'Lone's Exhibition Had Rather Serious Results."
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swallowing a sword attached to a metal bar from which weights are suspended
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in Gloucester, England. The results of their research were published in
930:"Shocking World Record by The Space Cowboy!!! (Electric sword swallow)"
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178:. Sword swallowers appeared on the same bill as magicians, such as
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147:, who was not swayed by his performance enough to rescind the ban.
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635:'The Indian Jugglers surprised the town by swallowing a sword...'
948:"The Space Cowboy: Chayne Hultgren – Record Holder Profile video"
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A 27-year-old woman reported neck pain and a single episode of
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226:(a generally involuntary muscle that contracts the top of the
847:. Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Center. Archived from
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The Journal of Trauma, Injury Infection, and Critical Care
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Cross section of the head and inner neck, including the
609:'Jugglers in India, from a late narrative', quoted in
100:, it became a part of the Japanese acrobatic theatre,
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from the original on 2021-12-12 – via YouTube.
19:"Sword swallow" redirects here. For other uses, see
776:Scheinin, Scott A., MD, and Patrick R. Wells, MD.
524:. He is Australia's most prolific record breaker.
404:, or those who had suffered severe throat trauma.
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928:Chayne Hultgren TheSpaceCowboy (26 April 2013).
48:through the mouth and down the esophagus to the
778:"Esophageal Perforation in a Sword Swallower."
613:, ed. Enos Bronson, Philadelphia, 1810: p. 124
611:Select Reviews and Spirit of Foreign Magazines
154:In 1893, sword swallowing was featured at the
845:"Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Center"
742:' 'Sword swallowing and its side effects.' '
565:(First trade paperback ed.). New York.
301:
218:Position of swallowed sword within swallower
639:,(London, England), 30 September 1820, p. 3
44:is a skill in which the performer passes a
593:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
516:underwater feat in a tank of live sharks.
135:Sword swallowing was performed during the
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350:"Sword swallowing and its side effects"'
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818:. New York: Munn & Co., Inc., 1911.
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352:in the December 23, 2006 issue of the
762:21 Jan. 1894. Retrieved 29 Sept. 2009
747:23 Dec. 2006. Retrieved 16 Sept. 2009
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626:(London, England), 27 July 1813, p. 2
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962:"Largest Curve in a Sword Swallowed"
834:86.1 (1998): 34-39. 21 November 2009
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371:Vanderbilt University Medical Center
984:"Most Swords Swallowed and Twisted"
720:5 Nov 2005. Retrieved 16 Sept. 2009
358:. The paper won the team the 2007
313:of Gapminder Foundation swallows a
13:
915:"Most swords swallowed underwater"
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715:"Sword swallowing uncertainties."
423:Modern sword swallowers include:
396:worked with Dr. Sharon Caplan at
740:Witcombe, Brian and Meyer, Dan.
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869:Amy Kraft (25 February 2014).
781:Texas Heart Institute Journal.
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346:Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
161:In the early 1900s, traveling
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1028:"Longest neon tube swallowed"
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158:at the Chicago World's Fair.
92:in the 1st century AD and to
35:Maryland Renaissance Festival
827:Machler, Heinrich E. et al.
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832:Anesthesia & Analgesia.
191:in circuses in general and
84:Sword swallowing spread to
10:
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156:World Columbian Exposition
63:
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893:"Longest Sword Swallowed"
460:The Lizardman (performer)
302:Contributions to medicine
1008:. Guinness World Records
986:. Guinness World Records
964:. Guinness World Records
895:. Guinness World Records
871:"How to swallow a sword"
745:British Medical Journal.
718:British Medical Journal.
398:Johns Hopkins University
362:in Medicine at Harvard.
561:Hartzman, Marc (2006).
478:Gregory Paul Mclaren -
355:British Medical Journal
96:in the 8th century. In
1032:Guinness World Records
1006:"Most Swallowed Sword"
805:. 59.1(2005): 233-235.
522:Guinness World Records
507:Guinness World Records
466:The Bavarian Daredevil
437:Chayne Hultgren - The
420:
408:Known sword swallowers
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272:esophageal perforation
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680:10.1136/thx.45.10.722
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295:proton-pump inhibitor
252:Physical consequences
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1073:Sideshow attractions
265:Medical case reports
246:esophageal sphincter
224:esophageal sphincter
145:Haakon VII of Norway
33:sword swallowing at
950:. 4 September 2012.
814:Hopkins, Albert A.
52:. This feat is not
1078:Street performance
480:Lucky Diamond Rich
421:
323:
220:
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199:Anatomy and method
130:street performance
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74:
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783:28(2001): 65-68.
713:Witcombe, Brian.
648:Article from the
365:In January 2006,
110:tightrope walking
104:, which included
16:Performance skill
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311:Hans Rosling
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444:Dai Andrews
428:Aerial Manx
394:Dai Andrews
317:during his
291:antibiotics
283:hematemesis
174:or glowing
139:as part of
137:Middle Ages
106:fire eating
1052:Categories
1038:2024-01-16
873:. The Week
855:2013-01-01
549:References
531:Brad Byers
500:Ryan Stock
490:Josh Routh
433:Brad Byers
176:neon tubes
116:and early
54:swallowing
31:Johnny Fox
21:swallowing
1068:Sideshows
637:The Times
624:The Times
589:cite book
449:Dan Meyer
402:achalasia
392:In 2007,
387:achalasia
383:dysphagia
379:Tennessee
375:Nashville
367:Dan Meyer
342:Dan Meyer
228:esophagus
193:sideshows
167:sideshows
126:jongleurs
1012:25 March
990:25 March
968:25 March
934:Archived
899:25 March
877:24 March
581:71843379
473:Big Fish
232:Retching
172:bayonets
163:circuses
118:illusion
114:juggling
698:2247861
315:bayonet
259:stomach
242:pharynx
209:pharynx
188:England
180:Houdini
102:Sangaku
64:History
50:stomach
789:101136
787:
696:
689:462713
686:
668:Thorax
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293:and a
287:dagger
122:Europe
86:Greece
120:. In
98:Japan
94:China
58:mouth
46:sword
1014:2014
992:2014
970:2014
901:2014
879:2014
694:PMID
595:link
577:OCLC
567:ISBN
321:talk
244:and
186:and
165:and
90:Rome
88:and
785:PMC
684:PMC
676:doi
385:or
373:in
319:TED
230:).
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