The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-01-07
A Man Who Can Unhinge Every Joint
in His Body.

A Man Who Can Unhinge Every Joint
in His Body.
The announcement that Mr.. Charles
H. Warren, the celebrated contortion-
list, would give an exhibition before the
students at the Erie-Street Medical Col
iege yesterday morning found Herald
reporter in the amphitheater at the ap-
pointed hour. The affair was certainly
marvellous exhibition of muscular ac-
tivity and change. Mr.. Warren is a
surgical, physiological and anatomical
phenomenon. The display which he
made of dislocations and displacements
of internal organs suggested continual
ly the question, is he human?
Mr.. Warren is, in his line, undoubt-
eddy. the greatest wonder ever brought
before the medical profession. The fact
that DIR. Hamilton has devoted several
pages to his case in his I" New Surgery"
is ample guarantee that his contortions
are really phenomenal and worthy the
consideration of medical science. Con-
corning him, DIR. Hamilton says:
81 think it may be safely said that if
Mr.. Warren does not dislocate his hips,
then none of those seven or eight cases
hitherto reported, and referred to by
me in my Treatise on Fractures and
Dislocations, were veritable dislocations.
No case has yet, so far as l know, been
verified by an autopsy. And it is to be
hoped that. in the interest of science,
Mr.. Warren will leave request that
upon his death q careful dissection OF
his hip joints shall be made by compe-
tent persons"
DIR. Agnew, surgeon OF scarcely less
reputation, says: ~ have never seen
an individual who presented such re-
markable symmetrical development Of
the muscular system"
Nearly all of the other eminent physi-
clans and surgeons of the age have seen
him. and unite in pronouncing him the
most wonderful muscular specimen on
record.
His exhibition Wednesday morning
was a most remarkable one, notwith-
standing that he p-ofessed himself ham,
pered by temporary attack of rheuma-
tism. He began by displaying a dislo-
cation Of the thumb, which was perfect.
The students were permitted to exam
inc with the sense of touch this peculiar
phenomenon. The subject then exhib-
tied dislocation of the wrist, equally
remarkable. Next, he produced by
muscular contraction a partial subgle-
mold dislocation of both shoulders.
which DIR. Kitchen pronounced most
remarkable feat. This was followed by
a dislocation of the scapula upwards,
and partial dislocation OF the tarsal
bones.
But the most remarkable feat, that
which brings the greatest CONSERVATION
to the medical profession. was COM
plete luxation of both hips upwards and
backwards. This accomplishment, which
has been made the subject of most care
ful study by Dr. Hamilton. was COM
mented upon by DIR. Kitchen at some
length.
Mr.. Warren also twisted his ankles as
il his feet hung upon q swivel, and pro-
duccd sub-luxatiop of the lower jaw.
Another performance of his was the
withdrawal of the viscera from the abb
domen and forcing OF them into the
chest. This feat he performed with
alternate efforts, producing an effect so
unnatural as to call forth most enthusi-
astic applause from the students.
DIR. Kitchen then measured the chest
expansion of the subject, stating that
the customary limit is about three
inches. The result was two measure
ments, 304 inches in state OF contrac-
ton, and 80 inches in state OF expan-
sion; making difference of 81 inches.
This difference has been a. high as IL
inches. On former occasion, when
DIR. Kitchen measured the exhibitor,
the difference amounted to IL inches.
This falling of, coupled with cough
of Mr.. Warren's, suggested the fear.
which was afterwards corroborated by
testimony. that the gentleman is a can
didate for the grip of that prince of dis.
eases, consumption. The exposure Of
such an exhibition as that OF Wednes-
day morning, together with the abnor.
NAL nature Of his work, cannot be very
conducive to longevity.
Mr.. War rem concluded his perform
ance by wiggling his ears, and then
performing series of gyrations and
contortions which are simply indescriba-
BILE. During all the exhibition the dis
play of muscles and surface markings oil
the body was most instructive to those
interested in the study of anatomy. The
anomaly of Mr.. Warren's case is the
fact that he is able to produce by mus
cular action q voluntary dislocation o.
nearly every joint in the body.
Mr.. Warren is now travelling and ex
hibiting his physical versatility to the
medical profession at the leading med
ical colleges in the land. He has beer
in former years connected with differ
ent organizations as an athlete, but nov
devotes all his time to the cause Of med
cal science. Cleveland Herald.