The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-06-04
A WONDERFUL HEAD.
How Liitie Andrew Geiser, of Will
Harrisburg, AsGOnishcs the Doctors.
From the New York Herald.l

vel to the wise and ignorant alike has
been brought to the notice of the public
IN Williamsburg, recently, by peculiarly
distressing circumstances. The case Is
that of an infant son of Mr.. Andrew
Geiser, of Varet street. Williamsburg,
who has been, since the day after ms
birth, II sorrow to his parents and won
der to all who have seen him. When
the child was born, on June Z, 1877,
, there was nothing to distinguish him
from any other sturdy German baby in
the minds of any but his father and
mother. He was healthy and perfectly
formed, and, SO far as his performances
In the usual line of babies was con-
cerned, none but they could discover
any difference between him and other
children of his age. He ate, slept and
cried like an ordinary baby. His par
ents had only one child before him, and
she was bright little girl of s or 9
years, with no peculiarities to mark her.
The doctor took his usual fee (fCr the
parents were then well-to-do, having
several hundred dollars IN the bank
and went his way, with no special
thought of the case rs being out OF the
usual run.
But the next day young Andrew be-
gan to develop n curious growth OF the
head, and rs time went by the growth
continued and became extraordinary.
The parents became alarmed and con-
suited great numbers of physicians, who
all examined the case with the greatest |
interest and took their fees with regular
lty and precision but failed to explain /
OF to alleviate the wonderful disease
which afflicted the child. They failed
to detect what the parents at first feared
was the trouble-water on the brain
but they also failed to explain what the
trouble was. Long before the little fell
low was old enough TO sit by himself his
head had SO grown that he was almost
helpless, and, when other children of his
age were creeping and beginning to
walk, he was unable TO lift his head at
al, and could hardly turn it from side
to side on the pillow. Still the head
grew, faster and faster, it seemed, until
when he was years old it measured
inches III circumference
Unwearied in their devotion and undis-
mayed by their repeated failures, the
parents went from physician to physician,
hoping against hope that some one
NO'hN no ublC W lclp VIC IlOtiC ltllON.
As long as the money they had saved
lasted, they continued to go from one
practitioner to another, but the time
came when all was gone aud they were
depending on the income
from the fathers labor and their little
ager-beer saloon. At last the father
grew i'll, and the business of the saloon
was too small to keep the family. Then
they determined, if possible to do what
they had frequently been advised to do,
md had always refused-aXhibit the
,hild i'll some show or museum.
A reporter called at the house and
was shown into the little back room
where the child lay sleeping. The first
glance at him was fairly startling. His
ace is pretty, with regular features and
/ daZzlingly fair complexion, but the
great forehead that rose above the wide ,
blue eyes Chat speedily opened) was
argrr than almost any grown PERSONS,
While the head grew larger and larger in
toward the back. Only a
raction under forty inches i'll circumfer-
nee, it lay heavier load than the
Globe on Atlas shoulders, and was APP
'arently little misshapen from its Gus
omary attitude. As he lies with his
lead partly turned to the left, that side
a little fiattened, and the left ear lies
loser to the head than the right. Elk
eptin9 for this the shape of the head
5 very nearly symmetrical. The feat
res are 40 larger Excepting the ears
han those of any child OF usual growth
NE hair grows i'll little tufts all over the
cad, there being apparently about
nOugh to cover an ordinary child's
cad. The body is perfect, though
uny, apparently from lack of exercise, I,
nd is free from the bed-sores that
night be expected. Over the head the
kin seems stretched to the utmost ten
ION, and the veins can be traced
5 clearly as though they lay on the out !
ide. The formation of the skull seems
, have accommodated Itself to the ab-
ormal growth within, but the opening !!
t the top, which usually closes i'll baby /
God, is not yet closed. The utmost I
ire is taken of the unfortunate child by 1
ne mother, who loves it tenderly, and Z
ne father looks with anxious grief ut the
oy, who knows him well and delights |
} play with him, but who can never !
IN or spring to meet him.
The child talks little, perhaps not as
luch rs could be expected of n child of
is age, seems bright and happy. all I'M Q
onscious of his affection. He has been a
free from sickness and pain v
nj has cut all his teeth with but very
tile trouble The cause and even the ;
allure of the wonderful growth of the I
cad Is unknown to the parents, and, SO d
II as they can learn, is also mystery TO a =
Il the physicians who have examined :
ne case.
"'They cannot tell" said the father; S
all they know is that there has not 0
cen another case like it for IA hundred = :
ears. !.
The appearance of the child, though u
is so monstrous as to be shocking at II
rst sight, is 10y no means repulsive, as v
lere IS considerable attraction i'll the :.
rrslally pretty face and the expression = =
bright and hanpv.. =
Hale and Andre. is
The name of Nathan Hale-unfortu- p
ately too little familiar to the present c
II A.