The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-05-14
A WHITE BABY TURNS BLACK.

For over sixteen months past an uptown
physician has been attending case of dis
ease that is 80 rare that the like of it has
never been known or, at least, recorded in
medical works. It is a case of real mclan-
osis or pigmcntation, where the pigment or
malaniD, as it is technically called, which
gives color to the hair and eyes, pervades
the whole body. A boy born of white pa.
rents and perfectly natural in the color at
his birth, turned under the disease as black
as full blooded negro. The parents live
at No. 1907 Lemon street, the father, John
Saltcr, being mechanic. They were mar
ried in December, 1876. They are both of
American birth, the wife being of English
descent and the husband of Irish extraction.
Ten months after the union of the couple
there was born to them a inc and apparent,
ly healthy boy baby. The infant thrived
and promised to develope into robust boy.
1t was beautiful child, with faii hair,
which grew in profuson. When two weeks
old he was taken to priest and christened.
In few days the parents became alarmed
a. remarkable change that was coming
over the child. He gradually grew dark
At first his skin became yellow, and then
deepened into saffron hue, and then, to
the terror of the parents, grew darker yet.
Various doctors prescribed for the child,
but the disease was not checked. The child
grew darker and darker. The color was
uniform all over the body, except at the
joints, where it was little darker, and at
the palms Of the hands, where was lighter.
The once fine brown hair grew stiff and
jet black, and the eyes also grew darker so
that the line between the pupils and the
iris could not be distinguished. In spite
and became very weak, all the time the color
of his skin deepening. At last no became
as black as full-blooded negro. Then he
was attacked by convusions, which grew
more frequent and violent until they threat
ened the child's life. 1t was in one of these
that DR.. Reynolds, of Eighteenth and Pop.
lar streets, was called in. He succeeded in
curing the spasms, and then devoted his
attention to the strange disease which aE.
hicted the child. He at once recognized it
as melanosis or pigmentation, which is men
toned in the books in a general way, but
there is no case given where it had devel.
oped all through the body. This was over
sixteen months ago, the child being then
sixteen months old. Since that time the
boy has greatly improved, by degrees be-.
coming lighter, until now he is Of light
chestnut-brown color. The hair has once
more become brown and soft, and the eyes
have regained their natural appearance.
! S;~-- d. -ReJuoidD hus had tue case in
charge the child has been visited ly over
two hundred physicians, who all agreed it
was remarkable case.
DIR Reynolds was visited last night by O
Press reporter. The doctor said the case
was difficult one to explain, as there is SC
little medical literature on the subject. II
is, he said, case of what he would call true
melanosis or over production Of pigment
Melanin, as the pigment giving color to the
hair and eyes, and which gives the boy Is
skin its dark color, is called, is thought to
be produced in the brain, the nerve center
OF the body. In this case there is great
over. production. Il first saw the boy, said
he, when he was thirteen months old. He
was then as black as any negro, but he is
now growing lighter. The change came by
degrees. AS the boy improved in general
health he became lighter, and when he re-
lapsed in general health he grew darker
again but on the whole he has gradually
lost his dark color aud will eventually be
white.'-Philadelphia Press.