The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-11-16
An Ossi1ted Man.
From the eadar

Ilom tne SieSeianu LeaueI
There was strange spectacle at the depot
yesterday-a man, of whom accounts were
published, years ago, in newspapers in
this country and in medical journals in
England, who has been in state of aim ost
complete ossitication for thirty years. His
name is Valentine Perkins; he was born
fifty-two years since in Henrietta, Monroe
county, New York, but has been a resi-.
dent for the last twelve years, Of Mantua,
Portage county, Ohio. AT the age of eleven
years he was thrown from q horse. and
his knee was injured by the fall. From
that time ossifcation set in. and the pro-
cess made advancement, joint by joint, for
fifteen years. when it had completed its
work. He is thoroughly and totally ossi-
fed, with the exception that he can move
two of his fingers, and make the slightest
perceptible motion with one or two of his
toes. He has not opened his Jaws for
more than 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 mys,
teriously ensures its safe conduct into the
stomach He lies upon his side, 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 ossfi
ed-a human block oflimestone, as it were,
his skin retains its normal character and
condition, and discharges its functions
perfectly, being, perhaps, more sensitive,
however, to the touch Of any object, as
that Of fly or hair, than is usually the
case. When the light strikes the skin o
his hands or face, itlooks like marble Of a
yellowish tinge, brought up to the highest
possible state Of polish. lie lies there on
his couch like recumbent statue.
His health is good; he has an excellcn,
appetite, and lives, withal, a hearty life. One
is naturally curious to know how his mind
is occupied through all the dreary hours.
He cannot read, for he has been totally
blind for thirty years. Cut off from tina,
source, he is necessarily cast back upon
his memory, and he has most wonderful
development of this faculty. 1t is exceed.
ingly tenacious He remembers the most
minute and apparently trifing incident or
circumstance, has the entire past-every
fact and event in his experience before him,
piled up like strata, and summcnses at will
or as occasion requires, occurrences which
have faded from the minds Of his friends.
His recollection Of localities is wonderful.
Places that he had visited years ago, before
struck with blindness, he can now identify
as he rides along-so vivid recollection
has he Of the relative position of things, a.
bridges, rivers, DC.
He is very expert at mathematical oalcu.
lations, and can with great readiness give
the number of square inches In an area the
number Of whose square feet or reds is
given him. 80 g
f OF course it must be . world Of work
to take care Of this helpless man, but his
friends have cheerfuily borne the sad bur.
den for more than forty years. He has
now gone to Painsville as county charge