The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-02
IA Man Fish. !.
THE CURIOUS AFFLICTION OF A TALL
BAcKwooDsMAN FROM TENNESSEE.

BAcKwOoDsMAN FROM TENNESSEE.
from the Louisville Medical Newsl
A short time since the Tennessee and Ken.
lucky newspapers contained a startling ac-
count Of wild man lately captured, with
great difficulty, in the Cumberland Noun
tatns. He was six feet ten inches high, ex-
traorainary fleet Of foot, and excessively saw
age. lie fed chiefly on raw fish, which he
captured without artificial aid He spent
much Of his time in the water, and after be-
ing captured he had to be frequently bathed
He was covered with shining scales, like
those of fish. His hands and feet were
webbed like the feet of water-fowls--so the
newspaper accounts, with many embelish.
ments, ran. It is scarcely necessary to say
that much Of this story was only showman's
talk, uttered to attract the attention of the
curious and credulous public.
The physicians OF Louisville we're invited
to visit the monster upon his arrival in the
city prior to his general exhibition Among
others visited the mernan,. but before see
ing the case had diagnosed it as one OF
chthyosis, and q single glance was Sufficient
to verify the correctness OF my conjecture
The man fish presentsa most magnificent ex-
ample Of the form icithyosis or fish skin dis
ease, called ichthyosis serpentina OF serpent
skin; and his general effect is more
that OF a serpent than Of fish. But upon
different parts of his body may be found
nearly all the varieties of iclthyosis. The
resemblance Of this man g skin to the shed
skin of a boa constructor, lately brought me
by q friend from the geological garden In
London, is almost perfect. Aboat his joints
the skin is loose and wrinkled, hanging III
folds, and the scales are large, suggesting
the skin Of lizard or alligator about their
limbs and belly His arms and legs remins.
one OF the sklnof the buffalo perch, the carp,
or other large fish. The cuticle everywhere
is dry and harsh, and never perspises.
There seems to be au absolute absence OF
fat, and the man is shrunken and withercd.
OF dead ashen-gray appearance, except
here aud there, where he is brownish or
blackish. Though only about fifty years OF
age, he impresses one as very old man.
The skin OF the face is red and shining. and
tightly drawn about the cheeks, pulling she
lower lids down to such an extent as to per-
fectly cvert them, making horrid case OF
ectropion. In some places his scales are sill
very, in others dark, and again in others
small and branny. His hair is very thin and
dead.looking. The backs OF his hands are
assured, al on his palms and soles the cut.
icle is greatly thickened. The fingers and
toes seem shorter than natural, aud the skin
is drawn tightly back over both feet and
hands. The septum between the fingers
and toes seem to extend much further down
than usual, thus suggesting the webhed ap-
pearance before alluded to. 1af
He Is considerably over six feet In height,
and Is a man Of low order Of intelligence.
He is married. and ia the father OF several
children, none of whom, fortunately, inner.
it his malady and as ichthyosis is almost. il
not always, a congentical disease, they are
not likely ever to have it. The fish. man
fails to present but single variety of ich
thyosis, and that is the porcupine disease,
as it is called. In this. spinea, formed by
hardened sehaceous material protride from
the skin, closely packed together. Wilson
states that he had observed them quarter
CT an inch long. Wilson reports having en-.
countered them of an inch in length. Ihaye
never seen them longer than an eigth of an
inch. Many years ago two brothers, In Eng
land. having this form of lchthyosis. were
exhibited In the shows as porcupine men.
Ichthyosis is one OF the rarest OF skin d.
eases. / am under the imp, ession that It Is
more frequent In Europe than in this ccun :
try. In ten years I have seen less than a
dozen cases. Its cause, as stated in my re-
port to the American Dermatoiogical Asso .
citation in 1877, is scrofula according to mv
observation and experience. It Ii found In
all the walks OF life. have encountered IL
with equal frequency among the rich and
poor. 1t is commonly considered incnrable.
and only temp r.rily and partially mitlsable
The treatment which Ilase found success.
ful IN permanently removing ichthyosir. in
more than one case, consists in. the uss ~
the constructives, 4. E. cod-liver oil q ytrarr
OF malt syrup OF the iodide Of iron. syrrn
q the nypophosphites, Sc. attention to the
digestive organs, and by giving the richrsr
ana oess rat producin. foods, such "a cream,
outter, hog meat fresh or cured. sugar ann
othcr sweets. A careful and ttoro,,gl, dsi3t
amounting with some oleagifious substance Isl
Ok great value, and prolonged var,ori II hor
water baths shonldbc employed freouently.
u. r. fANDELL., n, q.