Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-04-17
WONDERFUL PHENOMENON.

WONDERFUL PHENOMENON.
A SKELETON HEAD ON A L1v-
ING BoDy.--The European papers
contain some wonderful things. a.
mong them is the following:- Star.
Paris is horroihed just now, with
the details of surgical disclosure,
showing the ground Of rumor which
has been for some time whispered
through the noble circles Of Europe.
1t has been credibly asserted for year
past, that there was shut up,in Hotel,
at Berlin, young Polish Countess,
immensely rich, and wanting husband,
but who had the drawback, Tor rather
the maLe drawback, of skeleton head
upon an otherwise healthy body! The
story has been somewhat doubted, but
:. celebrated surgeon, DR.. Jelfenback,
has lately published an account, which
we condense as follows:
On certain evening three persons
called on this celebrated practitioner
An italian and Polish gentleman came
forward, leaving yelled lady in the
back ground. On the retirement CT
the other two, the incognito timldly
looked around, advanced hesitatingly,
and finally uncovered her head. A
man, whose profession was to look on
horrible SCIENCES, was not likely to be
easily moved, but from what now
met his sight, he started back
with scream of fright and horror
A grimacing skeleton with the bones
of the head scarcely covered with red
dish epidermis, stood before him.
The tongue lay entirely visible, al! the
passages of the nose and throat with
out covering. In the attempt to speak,
the tongue played like a serpent, half
protruded from corpse. The eyelids
were turned inside out, and of the up
per Jaw there remained but small por-
ton, entirely deprived Of teeth.
Such was the portrait ola lady OF
eighteen, daughter of one of the most
brilliant and wealthy families in Eu-
rope who had been to this degree VIC
tim to scrolula.
The Sergeon goes on to narrate
that he could not, at midnight, when
this interview took place, stand without
almost intolerable dread before this
frightful appaution, but she at last al
tempted TO speak to him. twas an
appalling attempt at ptterance. She
could make no articulation that he
could understand, but she pointed with
frantic vehemence at his nose. He at
last comprehended that she wishes a
surgical supply of this member to her
denuded face, but he shook his head
in despair. The scene of abandon
ment to grief which Immediately fol-
lowed, was, he declares, wholly indie
scribable. She threw herself on the
floor an in agony Of convulsive despair.
The Sergeon departed the next day
for Vienna, and thither the lady follow
ed him. Another interview, with her
and some of her relatives, ended in his
attention to see what could be done
He called together few mechanical
artists, and the first result was afalse pa
late and set Of teeth which enabled her
to chew and articulate distinctly. AZ
ter a few months more, he succeeded
in drawing the skin ouer a frame nose,
and finally he has sent her into the
world, not beautiful, but at the same
time not hideous. She frequents balls
and operas without veil, and by the
aid of flowers in her hair and other a.
dornments passes without attracting ex
traordinary notice inpubl;c. 1t is said
to be one of the gratest triumphs ever
attained in the surgical and mechani
cal arts. The lady's hand is now open
to competition.
Among the various means Of attain
ing sudden wealth in this country, the
discovery ola popular patent medi-
cine has often proved singularly sue
cessiul. A letter from New York,
published in the Charleston Courier,
cites various examples in point:
sBrandreth, with his pills, has risen
from poor man to be man of extern
siye fortpnp. He has now at Sinr
Sing three story factory for grinding
his medicines. Aloes are carted into
it by the ton, and whole cargoes Of the
pills are despatched to every part of the
Union, and down every 5ody's throat.
He has expended Mi'tyJfre thousand
dollars in single year for advertising.
Comstock began with nothing; but by
crowding his patent medicines, has