The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-10-05
A Remarkable Freak of Nature.

A remarkable freak of nature arrived
IN TINS city yesterday in the way of a
] chlld which has managed to live for
seventeen months without that bony
''dome of thought" which is regarded rs
essential to continued existence. More.
over, the child seems to have no noed
tor a oraln, II the eyes may be believed,
!or' In the absence OF skull, the head
| IS translucent and almost transparent
while, by the aid of lamp properly
held, it may be perceived that the brain
cavity is filled with a colorless fluid.
Nothing exists in this serum that can he
perceived. The head is larger than the
body, the increase of size being almost
entirely above the, temples, and meas
ures twenty-seven inches around The
lower face is perfect, and the child
would be pretty but for the monstrous
development. The rapid growth of the
upper head has drawn the skin until the
eyelids will not close, and the eyebrows
are pulled up an inch at least above the
normal position. When an Enquirer
reporter visited the child it was asleep.
and the mother would not allow it to be
awakened for experiments. A rather
hm coal-oil lamp was placed behind the
monstrous head, and cleaned through
it as though the skin formed the onlv
obstacle to the light. The veins .upon
the forehead and the locks of hair upon
the back of the head made the only
shadows, as was proved by moving the
lamp. The light behind the head illu-
mined the whole of the intepior, beinc
as perceptible upon the side as the front
OF the Occiput. 1t is claimed that when
the child is awake the light of lamp or
sunlight falling upon the back of the
head is even moreaplainly seen through
the eye-balls or the nostrils, or through
the ears when placed at one side. This |
remarkable head is covered with an
abundant growth of auburn hair
The child has every appearance, ex- |
cept in the color of the skin, of good |
health. 1t is fully developed, very |
plump, and is said to be strong, while it |
has good appetite. In all its habits it |
is regular and like any other child. That
it should have progressed so far as to be
weaned. maintaining good health, and |
should have reached the teethinc period.
is one of the wonders of physiology. Its
senses are said to be perfect and acute,
and it possesses enough of intelligence
to smile family when tickled,, and to
food when it sees it. When
the child was born it was known as 1.-THE
headless baby as it seemed cut off
above the ears on a line sloping toward
the nape of the neck, while a Wrinkled
skin covered the top. 1t suffered greatly
and its life was preserved with difficulty.
At three or four weeks of age the skin
began to fill out, when the child's suf-
'erings ceased, and it enjoyed good
health. The growth has been constant
since. The child suffers no pain and
,nly the inconvenience of being unable
% sit up, in consequence of it's deformity.
The tension of the skin is such that it
ioes not yield as readily to the touch as
night be expected from its appearance,
ret the child does not seem to expert
nee any trouble from this, and was
leeping as sweetly as anybody cherub.
This child was born February 20, of
asst year, on Beech Fork of Twelve-Pole
Creek, Wayne County, w. V. 1t is OF
he male sex, and is known as Franky
,anady.-C Cincinnati Enquirer. Il