Sword swallowing is a skill in which the performer passes a

sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...

through the mouth and down the esophagus to the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the upper gastrointestinal tract of Human, humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The Ancient Greek name for the stomach is ''gaster'' which is used as ''gastric'' in medical t ...

. This feat is not

swallowing Swallowing, also called deglutition or inglutition in scientific and medical contexts, is a physical process of an animal's digestive tract (e.g. that of a human body) that allows for an ingested substance (typically food) to pass from the mou ...

in the traditional sense. The natural processes that constitute swallowing do not take place, but are repressed to keep the passage from the

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

to the stomach open for the sword. The practice is dangerous and there is risk of injury or death.

History

Sword swallowing spread to

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in the 1st century AD and to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

in the 8th century. In

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, it became a part of the Japanese acrobatic theatre,

Sangaku Sangaku or san gaku () are Japanese Euclidean geometry, geometrical problems or theorems on wooden tablets which were placed as offerings at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temples during the Edo period by members of all so ...

, which included

fire eating Fire eating is the act of putting a flaming object into the mouth and extinguishing it. A fire eater can be an entertainer, a street performer, part of a sideshow or a circus act but has also been part of spiritual tradition in India. Physic ...

tightrope walking Tightrope walking, also called funambulism, is the skill of walking along a thin wire or rope. It has a long tradition in various countries and is commonly associated with the circus. Other skills similar to tightrope walking include slack rope ...

juggling Juggling is a physical skill, performed by a juggler, involving the manipulation of objects for recreation, entertainment, art or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling. Juggling can be the manipulation of one object o ...

and early

illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may ...

. In

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, it developed into yet a third distinct type of performance associated with the medieval

jongleur A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist enterta ...

s, that of the

street performance Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...

. Sword swallowing was performed during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

as part of

street theatre Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or universi ...

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

Haakon VII of Norway Haakon VII (; 3 August 187221 September 1957) was King of Norway from 18 November 1905 until his death in 1957. The future Haakon VII was born in Copenhagen as Prince Carl of Denmark. He was the second son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess ...

, who was not swayed by his performance enough to rescind the ban. 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 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. In 1893, sword swallowing was featured at the

World Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The c ...

at the Chicago World's Fair. In the early 1900s, traveling

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

es and

sideshow In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, traveling carnival, carnival, fair, or other such attraction. They historically featured human oddity exhibits (so-called “Freak show, freak shows”), pr ...

s 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,

bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...

s or glowing neon tubes. Sword swallowers appeared on the same bill as magicians, such as

Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...

and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

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 The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world. In English, it is largely a meto ...

toured Europe and America; some included sword swallowing. The middle of the 20th century saw a demise in circuses in general and

s in particular.

Anatomy and method

The performer must first lean the head back, hyper-extending the neck, and relax the upper

esophageal sphincter The esophagus (American English), oesophagus (British English), or œsophagus ( archaic spelling) ( see spelling difference) all ; : ((o)e)(œ)sophagi or ((o)e)(œ)sophaguses), colloquially known also as the food pipe, food tube, or gullet, ...

(a generally involuntary muscle that contracts the top of the

esophagus The esophagus (American English), oesophagus (British English), or œsophagus (Œ, archaic spelling) (American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, see spelling difference) all ; : ((o)e)(œ)sophagi or ((o)e)(œ)sophaguses), c ...

Retching Retching (also known as dry heaving) is the reverse movement (retroperistalsis) of the stomach and esophagus without vomiting. It can be caused by bad smells or choking, or by withdrawal from certain medications, or after vomiting has completed. R ...

must be controlled while the sword, lubricated by saliva, is inserted through the mouth and past the pharynx. 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. Once past the

pharynx The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...

and

, 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.Witcombe, Brian
"Sword swallowing uncertainties."
''British Medical Journal.'' 5 Nov 2005. Retrieved 16 Sept. 2009 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.

Physical consequences

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 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,

, 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.

Medical case reports

* A 59-year-old man experienced chest pain and severe dysphagia following practice for his sword swallowing act. An esophageal perforation was found and surgically repaired; 19 days later a leak at the site required a transhiatal

esophagectomy Esophagectomy or oesophagectomy is the surgical removal of all or parts of the esophagus. Medical uses The principal objective is to remove the esophagus, a part of the gastrointestinal tract. This procedure is usually done for patients with es ...

with a left cervical esophagogastrostomy. The patient recovered normally, but ceased the practice of sword swallowing.Scheinin, Scott A., MD, and Patrick R. Wells, MD
"Esophageal Perforation in a Sword Swallower."
''Texas Heart Institute Journal.'' 28(2001): 65-68. . 17 Sept. 2009 * A 27-year-old woman reported neck pain and a single episode of

hematemesis Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood. It can be confused with hemoptysis (coughing up blood) or epistaxis (nosebleed), which are more common. The source is generally the upper gastrointestinal tract, typically above the suspensory muscle of du ...

(vomiting blood) after pricking her throat while practicing her sword swallowing act with a sharp

dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually one or two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a cutting or stabbing, thrusting weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or ...

. The injury was found to be immediately below the esophageal sphincter, and the patient was admitted to intensive care and placed on intravenous

antibiotic An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting pathogenic bacteria, bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the therapy ...

s and a

proton-pump inhibitor Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that cause a profound and prolonged reduction of gastric acid, stomach acid production. They do so by irreversibly inhibiting the stomach's H+/K+ ATPase, H+/K+ ATPase proton pump. The body ...

. She recovered well and returned to all previous activities with the exception of sword swallowing.

Contributions to medicine

The abilities of sword-swallowers have proven useful to the progress of medical knowledge, specifically in the development and advancement of upper endoscopy. 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. 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. 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. From 2003 to 2006, a research study on the effects of sword swallowing was conducted by Dan Meyer of the Sword Swallowers Association International and Dr. Brian Witcombe, consultant radiologist at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester, England. The results of their research were published in "Sword swallowing and its side effects" in the December 23, 2006 issue of the ''

British Medical Journal ''The BMJ'' is a fortnightly peer-reviewed medical journal, published by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, which in turn is wholly-owned by the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world ...

''.Witcombe, Brian and Meyer, Dan
' 'Sword swallowing and its side effects.' '
''British Medical Journal.'' 23 Dec. 2006. Retrieved 16 Sept. 2009 The paper won the team the 2007

Ig Nobel Prize The Ig Nobel Prize () is a satirical prize awarded annually since 1991 to promote public engagement with scientific research. Its aim is to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think." The name of the award is a ...

in Medicine at

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

. In January 2006, Dan Meyer worked with physicians and researchers in swallowing disorders at Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Center at

Vanderbilt University Medical Center The Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is a medical provider with multiple hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as clinics and facilities throughout Middle Tennessee. VUMC is an independent non-profit organization, but maintains a ...

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

to explore whether the techniques involved in sword swallowing could be used to help patients who suffer from swallowing disorders such as

dysphagia Dysphagia is difficulty in swallowing. Although classified under " symptoms and signs" in ICD-10, in some contexts it is classified as a condition in its own right. It may be a sensation that suggests difficulty in the passage of solids or l ...

achalasia Esophageal achalasia, often referred to simply as achalasia, is a failure of smooth muscle fibers to relax, which can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to remain closed. Without a modifier, "achalasia" usually refers to achalasia of the esopha ...

. In 2007, Dai Andrews worked with Dr. Sharon Caplan at

Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...

on a study to determine whether sword swallowing could be used to help patients who suffer from

, or those who had suffered severe throat trauma.

Known sword swallowers

Modern sword swallowers include: * Aerial Manx * Brad Byers * Brett Loudermilk -

Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil (, ; ) is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal, Saint-Michel, Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Jun ...

performer who appeared on Season 15 of ''

America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is an American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distributed by) and ...

'' * Chayne Hultgren - The Space Cowboy * Dai Andrews * Dan Meyer *

David Blaine David Blaine (born David Blaine White; April 4, 1973) is an American magician, mentalist, and Endurance art, endurance performer. Born in New York City, Blaine became interested in magic at a very young age. He gained prominence in 1997, when h ...

* Erik Sprague -

The Lizardman Reptilian humanoids, or anthropomorphic reptiles, also called reptiloids, etc., appear in folklore, fiction, and conspiracy theories. In folklore In South Asian and Southeast Asian mythology, the Nāga are semi-divine creatures which are h ...

* Franz Huber - The Bavarian Daredevil * George McArthur - known professionally as "George the Giant (the world's tallest sword swallower)", who played Colossus in the film ''

Big Fish ''Big Fish'' is a 2003 American fantasy drama film directed by Tim Burton. It is based on the 1998 novel '' Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions'' by Daniel Wallace. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange ...

'' * Gin Minsky * Gregory Paul Mclaren - Lucky Diamond Rich *

Johnny Strange Johnny Strange (born 6 December 1988), nicknamed "the man with ears of steel", is an English world record breaking performance artist, producer, street performer and bestselling author based in London, England. He is known for performing dared ...

* Josh Routh *

Matt the Knife Matt the Knife (also called MTK) is a magician and mentalist. He has broken a number of Guinness World Records. He began his career as a professional con man. Career Sometime around 2000 he began to perform magic. Since then, he has performed i ...

* Ryan Stock * Chris Steele aka Captain Steele from the duo Captain & Maybelle

''Guinness World Records''

In 2009, the

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

for longest sword swallowed was achieved by Natasha Veruschka with a 58 cm (22.83 in) sword. 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 underwater feat in a tank of live sharks. Chayne Hultgren (a.k.a. The Space Cowboy) also holds the most official Guinness World Records 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 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 (a.k.a. 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. The Space Cowboy holds 44 official Guinness World Records. He is Australia's most prolific record breaker. In 2017, the Guinness World Record for "Largest Curve in a Sword Swallowed" was achieved by Franz Huber with a 133-degree curved sword. Brad Byers 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. 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. Wang Lei from Dezhou, China holds the Guinness World Record for most swords swallowed in three minutes (27). In 2023, Heather Holliday became the first person to hold a title for swallowing a neon tube.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sword Swallowing * Performing arts Sideshows Sideshow attractions Street performance Circus skills