Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-09-20
THE LIVING SKELETON

y
ted for the qualification ofthe ravenous
curiosity Of the London public, is from
the MedicalA Adviser.
"The name Of the living skeleton is
Claude Ambrose Seurat; he is native
Of Troyes, in Champagne; was born on
the 10th Of April, 1898, and is conse-
quently 81 years Of age.
The child, on coming into the world
presented the customary baby form, its
features being handsome; but in pro-
portion as the infant grew, the frame
gradually wasted away, and so contin-
ued to decrease until the attainment Of
its full stature, which occurred at the
usual term of life, at which period
Claude Ambrose Seurat had attained
his present height Of feet inches and
a half, when his frame had dwindled to
the living skeleton form it now person
i6rs. The pupils Of his eyes are large,
full, and penetrating; the whites very
clear, and his sight strong; but the up
per lids appear rather to weigh down
wards, from laxity OF the muscles,
added to which glaziness in sight
that conveysa something Of ghastliness
to the general appearance. His teeth
are perfect; his power Of mastication
very good, as there is no defect in the
strength of the jaws. His right shout
der incllnes very much downwards,
while tie left rises in proportion. The
upper joints Of the arms present no.
thing but bones covered with the skin,
their circumference measuring just
four inches; while the fore arms, on the
contrary, are FIVE inches and half
The hands are particularly long, and
the nails beautifully formed; but the
fingers are contracted upwards. The
muscles of the arms are, however, was
ted away, or contracted, SO that our
subject does not possess the power OF
elevating the hands higher than in Sc
mi-horizontal position, and when in that
attitude nothing can possibly exceed
the sepulchral appearance Of this living
anatomy.
"Perhaps one Of the most wonderful
circumstances attending the living
skeleton is, that if measured externally
from the chest to the back bone, the
distance is under three inches.
: "Taken round the waist at the bot
tom of the ribs, the body measures
barely one foot eleven inches, and,
when the object throws its arms back
wards, the shoulderbiade bones are
scarcely one inch asunder. From the
yertebra Of the back, taken between
the shoulders to the centre Of the loins,
the falling in is not less than FIVE inch
eS.
"The thighs are much smaller than
the legs, and like the upper joints OF
the arms, merely covered with skin;
the knees, of reddish color, protrude
in the front and sides, forming, as it
were, a bowl at the bottom Of the thigh
homes The legs, of which the right is
the largest, merely show signs OF
the calves, particularly the latter.
"When in France, he ate very little,
if any, animal food; penny French
roll was enough for days sustenance;
but as he now partakes of animal diet
in very small quantities, his portion OF
bread is reduced accordingly.
"His voice is by no means strong,
but far from disagreeable; he has a par
ticular passion for music, and even can
sing in faint tone; but conversation
must not be kept up for any length OF
time, as complete exhaustion would be
the consequence. When speaking, the
rotatory motion through the skin OF
the neck is perceptible, and the pulsa-
zion of the heart conspicuous TO the
eye.
''In raising either Of his feet from the
floor, the limb appears to be dlstended
uselessly from-,he knee; and we cannot
better illustrate this idea than BY that
sensation we commonly experience up
on allowing limb to remain too long
in one position, thereby causing tenn
porary strangulation Of the vessels,
known by the common term Of the foot
being asleep
"Sir Ashley Cooper, by whorL he has
been visited, finds that his heart is
placed so much out OF the common re-
gion allotted to it, that it is precisely
its own length lower than if properly
placed.
"In regard to the texture Of the skin
Of this living wonder, it is OF dry
moisiiess, parchment-like appearance,
which, covering any other human form
would not answer the purposes of its
functions, but seems calculated alone to
cover the slender juiceless body Of the
being, whom nature intended to array
On the shins nodes appear N the form
of buttons, though not obtrusively &c
the eye, and the toes OF the feet art
bent over one another.
".rhe ribs are not only capable Of be
ing distinguished, but may be clearl.
separated, and counted one by one, anc
handled like so many pieces of cane
and together with the skin which CO
vers them, resemble more the hoop;
and outer covering Of a balloon Of :