Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1890 — The “Elephant Man. [ARTICLE]

The “Elephant Man.

The British Medical Journal publishes an elaborate account of this unfortunate parsonage (who died recently in the London Hospital), with engravings from photographs. He was afflict - ed with two terrible deformities—overgrowth of certain bones, and a severe skin disease ot a disfiguring: nature. Two enormous bony outgrowths developed on his forehead, the bones of the upper jaw, right arm, and both feet were of great size, disease consisted of wart-like masses, quite superficial on some parts, but forming large excrescences on the back of the head and loins. The skin formed large loose Raps on the right side of the ehest and the lower part of the back The eyelids, ears, left arm and other parts remaining free from the skin disease. The high masses of bone on the forehead, with the prominent noso and lip, which hung downwards, owing to overgrowth of the skin, gave an elophantine appearance to the features. The head during the last three or four years grew so heavy that at length the man had great difficulty in holding it up. He slept in a crouching position, with his hands clasped over his legs, and his head on his knees. There can be no doubt that the weight o.f his head killed him, as stated at the inquest. The poor fellow was grateful, intelligent and interesting. The Princess of Wales and half the celebrities in London visited him. Ever since be entered the hospital the Princess forwarded to him yearly a Christmas card with an autograph message, while from time to time the Prince sent him game. Lady Dorothy Neville. Mrs. Kendal, Miss Lankester and other ladies also showed him great kindness in a very practical manner.