Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-02-01
A SINGULAR CASE OF OSsIFICATIOy.

4 OF a remarkable case of ossifica;ion OF
/ the joints of Mr. Valentine Perkins, Of
/ Mantua, Portage county, Ohio, the Raw
emma Democrat saws:
! The condition of this man is supposed
TO be the most extraordinary instance of
ossli'cauon of the joints ever placed on
record, as we are told by a medical friend,
Intimately acquainted with the case
With The exception of an imperfect motion
of the right shoulder. one joint of the two
first fingers of his right hand. aud a lilnit-
ed motion of one or two toes, every Joint
in his body is completely ossifed, and as
firm and immovable as if one bone con-
stltuted his entire BODY.
Until he was eleven years old he en-
Joyed robust health. At that time the
family had removed to Kirkland, Lake
county, 10 this State. In June of the year
he was eleven, he was thrown from
horse and hurt one knee, and then going
into the river to bathe, be took cold In the
Injured part, inflammation ensued. and the
carulages and lIgaments were DESTROYED
and osslhcation took place. After this
had transplred, the uninlured knee was
attacked with inflammation, and finally be-
came completely ossified. Then ioiut af-
ter joint passed through the ordeal, until
now he Is IN tle condition mentiond.
The same disaese commenced al the
roots of his fingers and toe-nails. The
nails came off, and new substance re-
sembling nails grew out, full half an inch
His jaws have been set and motiness
for thirty years, and his front tee.h have
loosened and come out, forming an aper-
ture through which he talks aud receiv s
his food. His food is all prepared for
him ia a suitable manner, and he always
has retained a good appetite, though he is
not gluttonous.
Twenty-four years since he became
blind In one eye, and for twenty three
years he has been totally blind. All his
Other senses remain as perfect and acute
as those of any person.
HIS limbs remain near the size they
were when be was hurt. His head, neck
and body have attained full size His
neck 5 nearly as large as his head, and
measures nineteen inches In circumfer-
ence, while his wrists measures only fou-
and a half inches. His weight is abs Ut
one hundred pounds.
HIS body Is ia semi-recIning position.
anu ~ - IOl duCCl-u HN I4al Df COIu :
much as persons ordinarily. He ; al
ways cheerful and fond of talking. HIS
intellectual powers are fairly developed
ior one IN his condition. and his memory
excellent. / IS SAID of him that h. can
tell the names aud ages of a large pro-
portion of he persons in the town of
Mantua with accuracy. He does not
sleep more than persons in good health
and s not troubled with sickness. aside
from the disease which has taken posses
sion of him. He talks freely of death
anu at times entertajns different opinions
upon the subject. He has lived in Man
tua for SIX years, and has been visited by
a large number of medical men in that
vicinity.
The statement of this case, though it
may seem somewhat marvellous to the
reader-as indeed il did upon being stat
ed TO the writer-is yet true in every par
icular, and literally correct, as we have
the testimony to show al any time. Bat
It IS most remarkable and extradnary
phenomenon, and without a parallel, il Is
undoubtedly proper to say.