The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-12-08
An Oasifiad Man.

Ihere was strange spectacle at the
depot yesterday man Of whom nc
counts were published years ago, in
newspapers in this country and in medi.
cal journals in England, who has been
in state of almost complete ossi6cation
for thirty years. His name is Valentine
Perkins he was born 6fty years since
in Henrietta, Monroe County, New
York, but has been a resident for the
last twelve years of Mantua, Portage
County, Ohio. At the age Of eleven
years he was throwa from a horse, and
his knee was injured by the fall. From
that time ossifcation set in, and the
process made Advancement, joint by
joint, for fifteen years, when 1t had
completed its work. He is thoroughly
and totally ossifed with the exception
that he can move two Of his fingers, and
can make the slightest perceptible mo-
ton with one or two of his toes. He
has not opened his jaws for more than
thirty years, but still he can talk with
ease.
Of course he has to be fed--the food
being placed within his lips and left
under the guidance of mother Nature,
who mysteriously en- sures its safe con-
| = L.
his eide, upon a low bed or couch,
which serves also as a litter, with his
feet drawn up somewhat, and his right
hand caught up near his shoulder, lies
thus all day long, shifting his position
but once during twenty-four hours,
when he is turned over on the other
side. While he is thus completely os.
si6ed "A human block of limestone as il
were-hfS skin retains its normal char.
acter and condition, and discharges its
functions perfectly, more sensitive, how
ever, to the touch of any object, as that
Of fly or a hair, than is usually the
case. When the light strikes the skin
of his hands or face it looks like marble
of a yellowish tiuge, brought up to the
highest possible state of polish. HI
lies there on his couch like a recum DC NJ
statue.
His health is good he has an excel.
lent appetite, and lives withal heart,
life. One is naturally curious to know
how his mind is occupied through al
the dreary hours. He can not read, fol
he has been totally blind for thirty years
Cut off from that source he is necessarily
cast back upon his memory, and he has
most wonderful development Of this
faculty. 1t is exceedingly tenacious.
He remembers the most minute and
trifling incident or circumstance has
the entire past-every fact and event in
his experience-before him, piled up
like strata, and summons at will, or as
occasion requires, occurrences which
have faded from the minds of his friends.
His recollection Of localities is wonder
ful. Places that he had visited years
ago, before struck with blindness, he
can now identify as he rides along SO
vivid a recollection has he of the rela-
tive position of things, such as rivers
bridges, &c.
He is very expert at mathematical
calculation, and can with great readiness
give, for example, the number of square
inches in an area, the number of whose
square feet or rods is given him.
OF course it must be a world Of work
to take care of this helpless man, but
his friends have cheerfully borne the
sad burden for more than forty years
He has now gone to Painesvile as q
county charge.-[CleVeland Leader
9Th.