Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-02-02
Yours, T.
Singular O~ssiieatiOn Of all the Joints in
a Mans Body.

"a 1850
a Mans Body.
A most remarkable instance of the os
si6cation OF all the joints in the body OF
a man, has come TO our knowledge Hith
in a few days. Valentine Perkins. OF
Mantua in this county, is the person who
has been thus sirgularly afflicted. He
resides with his mother, Mrs. Mary
AIvord. He was born in Henrietta. On
tario Co, N. Y in March 1913 I'd +,
consequently forty five years Of spe-
HIS father WAS a soldier in ,h. war nj
1912. and died in the s.rsice. q shorI
ume before his son IVES ,,orn.
The condition o. mis- man is supposed
to be the ncst extraordinary instance Of
~oSslncal'oD of the joints ever placed on
record as -se are told by a medical friend
~Intlrlately acquainted with the case
VITA the exception of an imperfect mo
ION Of the right shoulder. n joint Of
The two first fingers of his right hand and
a limited motion of one or two toes. every
Joint in mis- body is completely osSlfed,
and as firm and INN ovable as il one bone
constituted his entire frame.
Until he be was eleven years old he
enjoyed robust health. AT that time the
family had removed 10 Kirkland. Lake
county, in this State. In June of the
year he was eleven, he was thrown from
a horse and hurt one knee. and then go
ing into the river to battle, he took cold
in the injured psrt, inflammation ensued,
and the cartilages and ligaments were
destroyed, and Justification took place
After this had ~transpired, the uuinjured
knee was attacked with inflammation,
and finally became completely ossIied
Then joint after joint passed through the
ordeal, until now he is the condition men
toned.
The same disease commenced at the
Of his Gnger and toe nails. The
nails came off and a new substance re.
sembling nails grew out. at right angles
from his fingers and toes. tail hall al
inch.
His jaws have been set and motionless
ior thirty years, and his front teeth have
oosened and cane out. forming an ap
,rture through which be talks and re-
;eiyes his food. His food is all prepared
or him in q suitable uue and he al
Ways has retained q good appetite,
he is not gluttonous.
Twenty four years since, he became
in one eye. and for twenty three
ears he has been totally blind All his
'ther senses remain as perfect and acute
IS those of any person.
His limbs remain nea the size they
we're when he was kurt. Ills head.
leck and body have attained fuil size
lis neck is nearly as large as his head,
nd measure nineteen inches IN clrcum
while his wrists measu only
our and a half inches. His weight Is
bout one hundred pounds.
His body is in a s.ml %reclininins pc
ition, and he is not affected by heat OF
old as much as persons ordinarily. He
) always cheerful, and is very fond of
f talking. His intellectual powers are
airly developed for n in his condition,
nd his memory excellent. 1t is said OF
that he can tell the names and age
{ a large portion of the town OF Man,ua
nth accuracy. He does no Sleep more
han persons in good health. and is not
with sickness, aside from the
isease which has taken possession OF
i'm. He talks freely Of death, and al
mes en~,ertains different opinions upon
be subject. He has lived in Mantua for
X years, and has been visited by a
urge number of medical men in this vi
The statement of this case, though it
lay seem somewhat marvellous 10 the
eader-as indeed it dId upon being sta
ID 10 the writer. is yet lru in every
ariicular, and literally correct, as We
ave the testimony TO show IL any time.
'ha, it is most remarkable and ~extraordk
airy phenomenon, and without a par
Ilel, it is undoubtedly proper to say
Democrat.