In a shocking incident, an 82-year-old woman in eastern China swallowed eight small live frogs in an attempt to cure her lower back pain, following a local folk remedy.
The woman, identified only by her surname Zhang, was admitted to a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in early September after suffering from severe abdominal pain, South China Morning Post reported, citing Hangzhou Daily.
“My mother ate eight live frogs. Now the sharp pain has made her unable to walk," her son told doctors.
Zhang had been struggling with a herniated disc for some time and believed that eating live frogs would relieve her pain. She instructed her family to catch frogs for her without explaining her reasoning.
After her family caught the frogs, Zhang swallowed three of them on the first day and five the next, all smaller than the size of an adult’s palm.
Initially, Zhang experienced mild discomfort, but later the pain worsened over the next few days. After her condition worsened, she confessed to her family what she had done.
Doctors at Zhejiang University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital examined Zhang and ruled out the presence of a tumour.
However, tests revealed a high number of oxyphil cells, which can indicate parasitic infections or blood disorders. Subsequent examinations confirmed that Zhang was indeed infected with parasites.
“Swallowing frogs has damaged the patient’s digestive system and resulted in some parasites being present in her body, including sparganum," a hospital doctor said.
After two weeks of treatment, Zhang was discharged. According to Dr Wu Zhongwen, a senior physician at the same hospital, similar cases are not uncommon.
“We have received several similar patients in recent years. Besides swallowing frogs, some individuals consume raw snake gall or fish gall, or apply frog skin to their own skin," he said.
He explained that most of these patients are elderly and tend to keep their health issues to themselves, often seeking medical attention only when their condition becomes severe.
“For instance, putting frog skin on one’s body is rumoured to treat skin diseases. However, there is no evidence to support this remedy. On the contrary, it could allow parasites to enter the body, resulting in vision impairment, intracranial infection, and even life-threatening conditions," Wu added.
