Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-29
HEINRICH HAAG'S LOOSE
HABITS.
An India-Rubber Young Man
Who Can stretch Out His
Skin at Will.

N. Y. Star.l
A company of physicians, curiosity
seekers and representatives of the
press gathered yesterday afternoon at
the Ashland House to examine re-
markable lusus natur@ in the form of
a man with an elastic skin. Among
the physicians and surgeons present
were: Drs. H. G.. Piffard, W. Nj.
Carpenter, Robert Taylor, Oowles,
Louis A. Sayre, II. H. Baxter, Maury
and Charles Van Ness. The name OF
this new addition to the eccentricities
Of nature is Herr Heinrich Haag He
is native Of Bavaria, about thirty
two years of ago, is the father of two
children and has several brothers.
None of his relatives, however, share
his remarkable popularity. On being
introduced yesterday, Herr Haag
was placed upon a table so that
all present could see him plain.
ly. He wore an exhibition dress of
velvet, something like a horse Jockeys,
leaving his neck and breast and the
lower part Of his legs open to inspec-
ton. The man has sandy complex
ion and hair, and is little below the
medium hight. The curiosity him
self opened the performance by seiz-
ing the skin of his throat and neck
and pulling it out from lis body
nearly or quite foot. Holding it
thus with one haAd he drew down the
skin from his forehead, covering his
face with the two flaps, like veil.
The skin from the back Of the neck
was then drawn up so as to cover the
back Of the head. The physicians
made a thorough test, and found that
the cuticle of other portions of his
body were equally easy of manipula-
ton. An interesting portion Of the
examination was the holding out Of
the skin from the arms, and then
placing a candle close to it opposite
the observer. By this process the
veins were clearly outlined, as on the
surface Of piece Of marble, and il
was asserted, with apparent reason
that by means Of a microscope the
beating Of the pulse is readily percep
tihle.
Herr Haag, while in Germany, was
saved from serving the legal sever
years in the army by his fortunate
popularity, which he shares in com
mon with young dogs. The skin 0.
this Old World phenomenon wal
said by Mr.. Farini to be less sensitive
than that of an ordinary mortal
which, under the circumstances, mus
! be voted lucky fact for the phenom
enon. Were it otherwise he would
certainly earn his salary by the tor
lures to which the scientific inquisi
tors are sure to subject him. During
yesterdays examination several of the
medical men profoundly remarked
that Haag could manifestly stand more
| whisky without getting full" thar
any man in New York, and it seemed
that If he we're inflated with gas hl
might run himself as a balloon o.
make his fortune by operating as al
animated lifepreserver. By pulling
out the skin from his neck and breas
: he can improyise wash basin-an in
valuable adjunct to a man stopping
/ often at the country hotels 1t was as
serted that he can stand cold weathe
I better than hot probably BY using hi
/ elastic cuticleas an India shawl. Iithi
l be 80, he is doubly entitled TO the nam
/ Of tho India-rubber Man, If the trutl
, concerning this curiosity be no
0 stretched as badly as his skin he ha
been presented to the Emperor 0
5 Germany, the Crown Prince Of Aus
: tria and other royal people, who ad
0 mired him vastly, but gave him none
to 90, lest he should have. some. OK