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Dakota Datebook
January 12, 2008
"Pin in the Throat"

 

 


 

If you think getting a frog in your throat is annoying, imagine getting a pin caught in your throat! That happened to one little boy in 1933.
A doctor found a brass safety pin stuck in the esophagus of six-month old Mark Severson of Fargo, after his parents brought him in due to his restlessness and refusal of food.

The boy and his mother flew by plane out to Minneapolis, where specialist Dr. Kenneth Phelps removed the pesky pin in two minutes on this day. Coincidentally, Dr. Phelps had successfully performed a similar operation on another North Dakotan baby only months before.
Mark recovered fully and was only hungry after having the irritation of a pin stuck in his throat for twenty hours.

WRITTEN BY: Sarah Walker

Sources:
Bismarck Tribune, January 11, 1933, p. 1
Bismarck Tribune, January 12, 1933, p. 1
Fargo Forum, Evening, January 11, 1933, p.1
Fargo Forum, Evening, January 12, 1933, p.1

 

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Dakota Datebook is a project of North Dakota Public Radio, in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, with funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council. Hosted by Merrill Piepkorn, written by Merry Helm, and produced by Bill Thomas.

North Dakota Public Radio is a service of Prairie Public Broadcasting in association with North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota.

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