An 82-year-old woman in eastern China has drawn widespread attention after swallowing 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 long been suffering from a herniated disc and believed that consuming live frogs could ease her pain. Without explaining her plan, she asked her family to catch some frogs for her. Once they did, Zhang swallowed three frogs on the first day and five the next, all smaller than the size of an adult’s palm.She initially experienced mild discomfort, but the pain worsened over the next few days. Only then did she confess 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, they discovered a high number of oxyphil cells, an indicator of potential parasitic infections or blood disorders. Further tests confirmed that Zhang had indeed contracted 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.Zhang was discharged after two weeks of treatment.Dr Wu Zhongwen, a senior physician at the same hospital, said 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 often avoid discussing their health problems with their families. They typically seek medical help only when their condition becomes serious.“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.In one recent case from the same province, a six-month-old baby girl developed lead poisoning after her mother used an online “remedy” for eczema by soaking her hand in a lead acetate solution.The lead residue then transferred to the baby’s skin, doctors said.
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