Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27
FROM WHITE TO BLACK.

The Remarkable Case of $. III. Robson, Cf
GreenviIle, Ohio-Amcted With n Rare
and Strange Disease, He Changes In Color
and Asronishcs the Medical Profession.
One Of the most remarkable cases
ever known to the medical profession
is that OF s. 81. Robson, of Green
vile, Ohio, who, since November last,
has changed in color until he is as
Ozark as native of Africa. The pecu-
liar and very rare disease known as
melanosis, with which Robson is af-
ficted, has brought him into promi-
nence, so that physicians are
gong from all parts of the coun-
try to see him. BunneIl, the
New York museum man, has made him
an offer, which his declining health will
not permit him to accept. Among the
numerous physicians Of prominence to
give attention to the case is DR.. w. II.
Falls, of this city, who returned from
Greenville yesterday, and was seen in
the evening by an Enquirer reporter.
"It is certainly one Of the most singu
lar and remarkable cases on record"
said the Doctor when first approached.
DIR. Falls, after showing the re-
porter as number of photographs
of the patient taken re-
Gently, proceeded to describe the case
from the beginning. s. Fl. Robson
was born in Greenville, August 81,
1854 of white parents, being the eldest
son of r. Luther and Lavina Robson.
he is, as was his father, a carpenter BY
trade. He is married and has one
young child. Last November the sight
OF his eye became impaired, and about,
the 1st of March his right eye became
entirely blind. On the 10th of March
he came to Cincinnati to be treated
10y Drs. Williams and Ayres.
About that time small Jumps
about the size of millet
seed began to develop on various parts
of his body, and he mentioned his con-
dition to the physicians. In April,
while in this city, he commenced to
change in color, assuming an sshen
hue The Jumps on his body grew
larger and more numerous, He was
then attended by DR.. Falls, who, after
careful examination, pronounced his
disease to be melanosis. This disease
is very rare, especially in this country,
and DR.. Falls can recall but one other
case, which was in New York in 1875, and
attendek by DR.. L d. Bulkley. Melano-
sis consists of small tumors or cancers
of black substance all over the body.
It is fatal disease, bat generally does
not affect the appearance Of the body
like the case in question. Several
cases are reported from abroad similar
to that OF Robson. One worthy of
special mention came nuder the atten.
tion OF the famous DR.. lawrence, Of st.
Bartholomew's hospital, London, in
1864. One of the Jumps on r )bison'
was removed by Drs. Falls and Mussey
and examined by Professor Echherz OF
the Miami Medical college. who found
it to be positively melanosis, or black
cancer. Robson, who wOs O fine
looking fellow, with skin and
complexion as light as the
whitest man, continued to change in
color, and now he is as black as coal.
Doctors Williams and Ayres said he
suffered from detachment of the rectina,
due to the deposit of the black cancers
or nodules in smaller form within the
coats Of the eye. After the case had
been thoroughly studied the physicians
pronounced Robson hopelessly blind
Doctors Carson, Clendenin and others
have spent much time with Robson,
and, like all others, they pronounce it q
most remarkable case
| Returning to his home. Ribison con
tinued to grow worse. The nodules on
his body now number about seven hun.
dyed, and ara about the size of bean.
The sight of his right eye is entirely
gone. Just recently every portion of
the mans body that was red has turned
black. The inside of his lps and
tongue are black. What he spits from
his mouth Is Of the sams Oolox. .-oin-
cieaGti Eaquirsr.