In France, thousands of unexploded ordnance from the two world wars are still being discovered. Most are found in fields or at construction sites, but occasionally they turn up in the most unexpected places.
One unusual and alarming incident occurred at a hospital in Toulouse, forcing doctors to evacuate patients and call in bomb disposal experts.
Late in the evening, a 24-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with severe discomfort. During an examination, doctors discovered an old World War I artillery shell, about 20 centimeters long, lodged in his rectum.
Medical staff immediately performed emergency surgery. The shell had not exploded but was still considered potentially dangerous. Demining specialists were called to the hospital, and a security perimeter was established around the department.
Staff and patients were temporarily evacuated while bomb disposal experts examined the object and rendered it safe. No injuries or additional incidents were reported.
Local police plan to question the man following the incident. In France, such objects are classified as particularly dangerous weapons, and possessing or using them can result in criminal charges.
The cause of the incident has not been officially announced, though local media have pointed to what they describe as the most obvious explanation for how the shell ended up in that location.
