The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-03-02
A WONDERFUL HEAD.
CHARLES ERLISo, TwENrx-ElGHT YEARS
OLD, wAosE HEAD HAS coMpELLED
HINT LIE sABEp.ALL HIS IbFs.
lpmratfeipbia ,FiWeS.l


--rs'oi ia.i
Observation-Disclosures ..I
A mostremarkable specimen Of man,
after existing Ter many years in the
wilds of Jersey, unknown to- the out
side world, has bhsn brought to this
cityEand may now be seeir at h saloon
on Walnut street. Ever since his
birth he has been unable to stand upon
his feet. on account of the weight OF
his head, which is of abnormal size.
For twenty eight years, the length OF
his life he has been compelled to lie
abed continually. His name Is
Charles Erling, and he was born IN
Burlington county, New Jersey. He
lacks one inch Of being five feet in
length, but would probably have
grown langer had he been in tie habit
of taking physical exercise. His head
appears to be aboutsix times the or
dinary size, and, his mother says, has
always been as disproportionate in
| weight to the rest Of his body as it is
now.
The measurement around the head
at tile middle Of the forehead is thirty
three inches, while the line passing
over the crown and under the chin is
fortysfour inches. OF course the head
could never be weighed accurately,
but its estimate weight at present is
eighty pounds, which is two-fiths Of
his entire weight. The inner corners
of the eyes are four inches apart, the
distance from temple to temple is thir.
teen inches, and the bridge Of the noSc
is six inches below the upper line ol
the forehead.
If it were case Of hydroccphalus i
would doubtless be less remarkable
but there is every physical evidence in
support Of statements made by severa
physicians that it is neither more no
less than an abnormal growth of skull
and brain The head is solid, and it,
part nearly proportionate except th'
forehead, which, in both height ant
breath, measures about one and hal
times as much as it would if symmet
rical with the other parts OF even 81
abnormally large head. The trunl
Of the body is about the same in siz'
as that Of many big fat boy VIII
walks the streets, but the muscles ar
soft and weak for want of activity
EThe measurement aroudd the chest
forty four inches, and aronnd- tn
waist thirty five inches. His legs
however, are no thicker than those o
an eight-year old boy of ordinary size
He extends his hand to visitors
bids them good day and chats wit
them in childish manner. He seem
, to have an every balanced mind, but
is that Of a pratting infant. He ca
not read aud never would try to lear
!. even the alphabet, as his neck. u
lthoughno weaker than might be G,
pecte, in a person who has been a
ways confined to bed, was not stron
enough to move his head without gi'
ing him pain. It's thought that J
would not be so childish had he bee
a accustomed to sights and sounds b
yond the limits OF bedroom whit
few except his parents and their sma
number Of Jersey neighbors ever OF
+ cred. His parents have had no chi
i but Charles. The father is dead, b
! the mother is with him here. 30
- parents were healthy, Of ordina
,s stature and possessed the avcrai
"a physical development. They were e
;. gagged in agricultural pursuits abo
i two miles from the village Of Bridg
n n boro, which is a league from Riv'
= side, New. Jersey. A notice oil I
!, case got into rural newspaper n
- 70 long ago, and this catching the eye
y y the proprietor of tho saloon he soue
: = out tile humble homestead and
: raigned to have Charles kopt at
- place for exhibition.