The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-02-08
A Snake Child.
MORE SERPENT THAN HUMAN-woSDER-
Full FREAK OF NATURE.


During a recent visit to Cape Cod
the writer was made acquainted with
q remarkable freak of nature, one
illustrating the results of certain in
f1uences exerted before birth, in the
person of male child, known as the
ssnake child" This is the son of
Mr.. --, of Harwich, a little more
than three months old, and regarded
as "more snake than human" Dur
ing the term of pregnancy, which
was attended with various peculiar
sensations, the mother was in an I'M
usual frame of mind, and gratified a
kind of monomania for killing snakes,
never allowing an opportunity for an
encounter with them to pass unim
proved. On one occasion she fought
two and half hours with three large
adders in an arbor, at last conquer
ing and killing them. On another
occasion she came suddenly upon a
large bl1k snake, the "size of her
wrist" which raised his head very
high and Showed fight" True to
her strange impulse, she commenced
the attack and was the conqueror, in
stead of screaming, like most females,
and leaving the spot in hot haste,
though his snakeship presented a
formidable if not frightful appear
ance. This monstrosity, which
weighed thirteen pounds at birth,
has the more general appearance Of
a human being in the outlines of the
body, than in the head and limbs,
though the shoulder-blade is want
ing, or very unlike the natural one.
The head is very large, having, at
birth, the appearance, with the gen
eral expression of the face, especially
the upper part, of a child at the age
of two years It rises high, the line
of the front and back being nearly
parallel, though inclining upward
and forward with an arched appear
ance. The forehead is high, and
projects considerably over the eyes
The ears, which are large, are located
very far forward, and about one inch
lower than usual, or about on di-
rect line with the chin The eyes
are large, snakish, elongated, pro-
truding, and much in motion. The
lower jaw has an unusual appearance,
appearing as if double, while the ROOF
of the mouth is narrow and deep.
The mouth is open save when nurs
ing tile bottle. The tongue is thick,
as thick as some two or three ordi-
nary ones, and is very active, slight
ly cleft at the tip, and is very smooth
The lips remain in one position
about half inch in a straight line
above and below, with gradua
curve towards the angles. The nose
! is rounded at the tip, much depress
ed at the base, and nostrils much dis
tended, the whole locking snakish
}, Instead of the usual soft place in thu
!, top of the skull, there are two, one il
, the forehead, and the other far back
: the skull between these more nearl
d resembling the back Of turtle tina
d a child's head. There are two bon
), projections in the forehead, over th
: eyes, like prospective horns, Will
I, between these and the eyes are dee
y cavities. The face, which is long an
Q large, with the exception Of the mont
,e and chin-disproportionately small
v has a mature expression, rather snal
a ish, the chin being unusually poin
tie ed. The feet and hands are the mo
s. remarkable, evidently presenting Il
III deformity in its worst aspects. Bo
n are unusually arched, and in 9th
~ respects peculiar. The large toe
= short, and like a thumb, inclini,
downward and toward the hollow
~ the foot, with the small one all
The remaining ones, which are DIES
tute of joints, are enclosed in Xxi
Is of sheath, thick skin and so
~ flesh, all terminating at the ends
~ one broad and large nail, inclini
ho downward like q half tube. This n
,nt and indeed those of both the hal
of and feet, have decidedly snak
hat look. The hands are still m
you peculiar, rather more arched than
No feet. The bones of the hand are n,
gu. distant, relatively, than those OF
you feet, with a deep cavity betw'
rather irregular. One of the be
is disconnected with those OF the t
on. passing, instead, downward tow
ere the hollow of the foot, there foa
luse with no attachment. Others see