Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-02
A MAN MADE OF CAST IRON.
New York World.

JOln CnarleS COLLINS. the ''CaSt-lfOn man,
lies in St. Luke's hosp with some alloy in
his composition. While he was acting last
fall as teacher of sparring in Col. Monstery's
Academy in Sixth avenue he was suddenly
attacked with sense of suffocation. He
was removed to Bellevue hospital and after
ward. Ito St. Luke's, where he was found to
be suffering from paralysis of the vocal
cords-the little organs whose vibrations
cause sound and which, when paralyzed,
fall together and prevent the entrance of
air into the lungs. The only immediate
relief of Collins was an operation that would
allow him to breathe from point below the
vocal cords, and so hole was cut in his
throat, or, as the doctor would put it, the
| operation of laryngo-tracheotomy was per-
formed, and double silver tube, open at
both ends, was introduced into the windpipe.
Collins was Immediately able to breathe
without the use or his nose or mouth and
in spite of the paralysis of the vocal cords,
and his life was saved. Since the operation
he has been doing well, and the doctors are
now treating him with view to cure the
paralysis. The case is peculiar one, as
there are few instances on record of a
paralysis of the vocal 'rds, and Collins
disease is further complicated by the fact
that the cause of his affection is unknown.
Before he was attacked he had suffered from
a slight cold, but vas otherwise, as he had
always been, in the best of health.
A reporter of the World found the "Cast
Iron Man, sitting up IN bed attentively
reading newspaper, and wheeling through
the silver tube. 1t may be imagined that
under these circumstances conversation was
difficult, but the "Cast Iron Man. endeav-
ored to make himself equal to the emergen-
cy, for taking long breath through the
tube he stopped up the oriice with his finger
and then began to talk with the air he had
introduced in this way into his lungs. His
voice, however, was only a hoarse, loud
whisper, and his speech was like that of
ven,riloquist. 81 don't know what gave me
this" said he ''for it came on all of a sud-
den. I nearly died. But last night I was
worse of. l got cold and the tube was
stopped up. l tried to pull it out, but I
couldn't, and l ran to nurse, but he
couldn't do anything with it either. While
they were gone for doctor kee]ed over;
anu when the doctor came he squeezed nv
ribs. But it was long time before came
around" ~~-s---
Collins took another long breath through
his vicarious larynx, and throwing open his
shirt, revealed chest that looked as if it
were clothed with the pelt of some grizzled
animal. He pointed to an enormous swell
ing on his left collar-bone ard asked, '.Do
you know what this is?''
The reporter arose to examine il.
otis where the gentlemen tap me in
sparring." And the "Cast-iron Man." by
way OF illustration, "tapped'' the reporter on
his left collar bone. Tue reporter Suddenly
resumed his seat. give been tappel there
so often," continued Collins, taking another
breath, that that swelling came there. The
doctors say it's curious thing, and they're
going to make cast of it,
For few moments the "Cast-Iron Man.
gave himself up to breathing. AS he sat in
his bed he looked like giant. His frame is
In breadth and his great muscles
seem to have been tftrned into stone. But
his hands are small aad very dextrous and
flexible. - fss#sf
'Collins came here Il good manv years
ago." said Colonel Mopstery. "He was
originally sailor in the Bfitish navy. where
he became known as the C list Iron Man ON
account of his great endurauke and bis DOW
r. to stand . great deal of physical punish
ment III the rough and tumbh fights in
which he was frequently engageA He was
brought into prominence here by.his fight
with George Rookie. middle-weight cham
pion, at Fishers Island in 1867. Rookie was
very heavy middle=weight and he stood
about slx feet two, while Collins is only |
lbout five feet seven. Rookie whipped him,
'ut Collins stood up SO under the punishment |
hat he fairly earned then, if not before, HIS |
tile Of the tCast-1ron Man. Afterwards he
vent into the Omitted States navy, and after !
eavinu fhoA anr vice hsrarnn q ~
pairing in the Washington gymnasium. He
lid Well there. sartoris, Grants aon. in law,
.as IN washington at the time, and he with
lis friends used TO spar with Collins. sar-
oris vas delighted every time he could sue