A Frenchman goes to the emergency room with a World War I shell in his rectum

ParisIt's not entirely unusual for people to go to the emergency room because they've inserted an object into their rectum and can't remove it. What is more exceptional is that the object in question is a 1918 artillery shell. Medical staff at Rangueil Hospital in Toulouse (Occitanie) were stunned early Sunday morning when they discovered that the object a 24-year-old man admitted to the emergency room had in his rectum was an artillery shell. The story has been reported by various French media outlets, such as Le Figaro, France 3 and The Dépêche du Midi

According to French press reports, the young man went to the emergency room and explained that he had inserted an object into his anus—without specifying what it was—and that it couldn't be removed and was causing him pain. The medical team then decided to take him to the operating room to remove the object. In the middle of the operation, the doctor was astonished to discover that it was an explosive. "At the moment of extraction, the surgeon realized that it was a World War I shell, about 16 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide," he explained. The Depêche

Given the potentially explosive nature of the shell, the hospital mobilized firefighters and police. "The discovery caused panic in the hospital," according to [source missing]. The DepêcheIn the early hours of the morning, bomb disposal experts were dispatched to the hospital and established a security perimeter before neutralizing the projectile. Ultimately, it was just a scare. However, the patient will face a police report for "violation of weapons legislation," even though the device did not contain an explosive charge. Le Figaro, Police will also question him about the origin of the shell. The man remains hospitalized.

As incredible and exceptional as the situation may seem, there is already a precedent in France. In 2022, an 88-year-old man arrived at the emergency room of Sainte Musse Hospital in Toulouse with a 20 cm long and 5 cm diameter shell lodged in his rectum. On that occasion, although the patient assured that the device contained no explosive charge, the police evacuated the entire hospital for several hours until bomb disposal experts confirmed that the shell posed no risk.

Shells on eBay

In France, it is common to find shells and other explosive devices from the First and Second World Wars, especially in rural areas or during construction work in urban areas. These are often unexploded ordnance and therefore pose a risk of detonation if handled. When they are found, bomb disposal experts are mobilized, and security perimeters are usually established, which often involves closing roads or railway lines while the work is underway. As for the cylindrical shells, 15 or 20 cm long, like those found in the rectums of the 24-year-old and the 88-year-old man, they can be purchased in any store specializing in military or collectible items, or also through online marketplaces. On eBay, for example, they can be purchased for only 15 euros.Selling them is legal as long as they do not contain explosives.