1.44. An old man gets the hiccups. Soon, he is rushed
to the hospital. (JC original?)

1.44 answer: The man is a glassblower. His old age has brought about a
decline in his vision, so he must use shorter pipes to blow glass. He gets
the hiccups, accidentally inhales some hot vapors / molten glass and burns
his mouth and throat area. (I’m not sure whether this could actually
happen, but it sounds feasible to me.)