A bizarre case: Girl in far western Nepal emits 'glass pieces' from forehead
NEPALGUNJ, Sept 21 - In what seems to be a bizarre case that has baffled medical practitioners, a young girl in the district of Kailai, far western Nepal, has been emitting transparent solid objects, purported to be glass pieces, from her forehead.
A team of doctors from the Nepalgunj Teaching Hospital (NTH) at Kohalpur Wednesday began their research on 12-year-old Sarita Bista, who has been excreting glass pieces from the side of her forehead for the last three years.
According to family sources, Bista, who is currently under constant medical observation, has emitted more than 130 "glass pieces", averaging 4 cm in length and 1 mm breadth, since January 18, 2006.
“The CT scan report indicates that she has some kind of problem in her forehead skin," said Dr M Kiduwai who is involved in the research, "The pieces do not seem to be coming out from the bone. But we can give more details only after further investigation."
Dr. Keduwai also informed that the girl would be put under medical observation for the next three days "to study the process of formation and emission of the glass pieces." Professors SM Mishra, SK Gupta, Dr CP Pandey and Dr Anir Shrestha of Kohalpur Medical College are involved in the research.
The doctors claim this to be the first case of its kind in the history of medical science. "There are many examples where cranial bones have grown unnaturally to give the impression of horns. But the human body does not produce glass,†Dr Kiduwai said, adding, "It's a strange case."
The doctors have said that they would seek help from scientists at Nepal Academy for Science and Technology (NAST).
“Something that looked like shining glass pieces could be seen coming out of her forehead skin but there is no glass inside the cranium,†said Dr. Jitendra Mahaseth, deputy director of the NTH. Mahaseth also informed that Bista's skin sample would be sent to NAST for further investigation.
The girl has been emitting "triangular glass pieces" everyday since August 7 this year, according to her family sources. “Once she excreted 12 pieces of glass in one day,†said Sarita’s mother Dhansara Bista.
"At the beginning, there was a blister at the side of her forehead. When we scratched it, a piece of glass came out," Dhansara said explaining how her daughter started "emitting glass pieces."
Sometimes Sarita loses consciousness when she begins to "emit" glass pieces, Dhansara said, adding her daughter has never met with any accident.
Generally, Sarita starts emitting glass pieces from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Dhansara claimed.
Sarita's parents have already spent over Rs. 300,000 for her treatment but to no avail. They have sought financial help for her further treatment.
