The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-08-06
HEADS WITnOuT BopIEs.

clan and scientist OF Columbus TO the
writer yesterday
"Come with me and will show you
two or the most wonderful cuTiOsities TO
be seen anywhere, -
Without asking any questions the
Young man OF the Commercial got into
the DOCTORS carriage at his bidding, and
after an hours ride got out at the Frank
lin County IniTmaTy, situated IN the
southeastern suberbs of this city. EasS-
ing around the IniTmary buildings,
which are ca5IntlysUuOundedD by trees,
rrape-arborS and the like 90 tire rear OF
the buildings the curiOSitIeS were reach
ed. Seated in q chair was boy of nine
teen. of the ordinary height of boys Of
that age. The head and face were the
first looked at of course. The head
was large and crowned magnifciGntly
with intense black hair. The face was
unusually round and full, complexion
slIIow. the eyes very large, black, bril-
lian5 and intelligent, Altogether the
face denoted extreme good health. But
leave the head and face and look at the
body and limbs. There were none, al
most literally. The large healthy head
was the living head Of g shadOWv body,
an actual skeleton. Ills thin shirt and
pants did not hide the bones. Drawing
up his shirt sleeve The shadow of an arm
was revealed. Every bone could be dis
tinctIy. seen. The transparent skin was
drawn around them perfectly tight.
The largest part of the arm, the blcepS,
was scarcely as large as the. .WriLer'5 two
smallest fingers. The skin also adhered
closely TO The joints at the elbow and
shoulders Passing the hand over the
body Of the shirt the chest bones. ribs
and other parts of the frame could be
felt plainly. The same condition was
observed everywhere. Ills thigh was
sp2uued by The writer's thumb and fore
finger. His feet, which were incased in
loose cotton stockings. were alike devoid
of muscle and flesh. There was q faint
trace of muscle on the inside of the an
kIes, and this muscle pulled the foot in
rs though ne was Ciub-fOOted. The
toes were entirely beyond his control
and the marvellous anatomical mechan-
ism of the human foot WAS clearly per-
ceptible to the naked eye.
There was not q ycsLige of color in
either the body or limbs, excepting the
blue tracing Of the veins, and in the
shades cast 10y the vital parts. All
these parts are plainly dlScernaDle with
the aid of q spgctroscCpe.
Passing through a door which led
from the porch q small room was enter
gG. There were two small beds III this
room. Lying UT0n one of them was an
exact c0uuterpart of the living head
and skeleton above described. The
same large head. the black Lair, full
round face, saliOw complexion black.
brilliant. intelligent eyes, the same fea-
lures precisely. the same skeleton. In
deed. it was hard to realize that it was
not the same creature seen on the porch.
The writer TO convince himself. step
ped TO tile door where he couid see both
boys. Yes. there were cOUGteTparts Of
one another. Comparing them closely,
now ever % slight difference could he
seen. The hoy on the bed looked a tTifle
the oldest. while there were slight de
rression5 at the corners oG the mouth,
that were not TO be seen in the other.
The writer stood and looked for q
time i'm auaE1meut and silence. lie
had seen one or two living skeletons III
siJe-sLOWs but those creatures were
men and moved about, showing some
strength. Their faces too. were ell
tirCly different. They were thin and
eIuut. and could scarcely be looked al
without q shuGdcT. But her. were two
youEg bows with full faces and healthy
looks. FINALLY. turning. 90 ,ile Doctor,
tH" writer asked fora history OF the boys
and Le gave # as follows:
The two boys are brothers. named
Charles and Frank NCLIbach, and are
Il and 1H respectively. Their parents
are German. Their mother went insane
when the boys were both quite young
and was brought to the IufrmaTy, where
she died. Their father is still living
and IS and has been very dissipateI.
The boys were brought 10 the luiirmaTy
seven years since, bat nothing has ever
appeared iu print about them.
Both boys lived aui grew like ordi-
nary boys until they were eight years of
rvffrt tlr.. FIRST sy.rItt .Fre q &
ease with which they are AFFLICTED were
developed. The progress of tEC disease
was precisely alike with both 1Oys and
the description of either one is dCs-
CriptiOu OF the JtHgr. Dr. GruTy, in de
scribiuw them, spoke of Frank, the
younger one. because her uas observed
him through all the stages of the disease
thus far developed. The first symptoms
OF tic disease is adipo5ity accompanied
by muscular weakness.
When Frank came to the InGrmaTy
Le was also plump and fat. and looked
tN,IemeIg healthy, much like lat bUys
seen I'm side shows, lieVlayed with the
other children about the house and yard.
lgt he would fall down constantly. lie
Was very sUav-iacECd. and would Wad-
l.e about like a duck. His falls became
more and more frequent, and in about q
YEAR he became bcdriddcn. Then the
tttl4 asE-.s muscles ana Dc
gan .0 grow thinner and thinner, unit
now they are mere sHrCds. and he La.
300 strength whatever. DIR. DTury think.
that il is % mere question Of time wLcI
tLc muscles and flesh OF the face vii
d.s3ppe..r. and eventually The muscles O
The chest when the boys VIII die LUcaus
of the inability JJ keep the Iospirator,
organs iu motion for want of muscles 20
Eaisc the chest.
The disease is regarded by physician
SIS being three stages. The first. mus
Cular weakness: the second, muscUia
.ussudo-H-UgTtAruuy; am. third atI0ph.
ur decay OF the muscles II is CJliC,
Vscujo-museuiar hypcv,hropy." " Tn
distinguished scientist. Hammond. il
IIs '-DisE-sH o.. the NCryuUs system. ,
says That bu. seven eases Of this kiut
are upon rgcy3l. The origin of TIN
disease is as yet unknown Physicians
however. have two theories. hut neith
Cr has been satisfactorily established .-
one is ,Htt it is disease OF the mus
cius, while the other IS THAT it is q dis
ease OF 5Ise spinal chord Certain it is
however, i.aJ the disease originate
iE1m % weakness gr abuse OF the ueTvOu
system, as IU the case OF these soys
tdcir father beiUra jissipatcd man. aHt
their mother having died insane. Til,
disease seems To ran i'm families aLthu
tsu eases are SO Tare that it cannot b
determined hereditary. IL Is Ccuine
entirely TO boys. and as in these cases
never teyei1Hss UH5ii ,Hy boys arc sever
rT Cs-H. years of age. and II the uaiOTi