Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-04
A TRANSPARENT HEAD.

A remarkable freak of nature arrived in
this city yesterday, In the way of child
which has managed to live for seventeen
months without that bony "dome of
thought" which is regarded so essential to
continued existence. Moreover, the child
seems to have no use for brain, if the
eyes may be believed, for. in the absence
Of q 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 color.
less fluid. Nothing exists in this serum
that can be perceived. The head is larger
than the body, the increase of size being
almost entirely above the temples, and
measures 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 head has drawn
the skin until the eyelids will not close, and
and the eyebrows are pulled up an inch
above the normal position. When an En-
qu;rer reporter visited the child yesterday
1t was asleep, and its mother would not
allow it to be awakened for experiments
A rather dim coal.oil lamp was placed be.
hind the monstrous head, and cleaned
through it as though the skin formed the
only 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 illumi-
mated the whole of the interior, being
as psrceptible 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 more plainly seen
through the eyeballs or the nostrils, or
through the ears when placed at one side.
This remarkable head is covered with an
abundant growth of auburn, silky hair.
The child has every appearance, except 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 it's habits it is regular and like any
other child. That it should have pro-
crossed so far "a to be weaned, maintaining
good health, and should have reached the
teething period, is one of the wonders of
physiology. It's senses are said to be per.
feet and acute, and it possesses enough
intelligence to smile family when tickled,
and to recognize food when he sees it.
When the child was born it was known as
the headiess baby" as it seemed cut off
above the ears On line sloping toward
the nape of the neck, while a
wrinkled skin covered the top. 1t suffered
greatly, and its life was preserved with diff
ticulty. At three or four weeks of age the
skin began to fill out, when the child's suf-
ferings ceased and it enjoyed good health.
The growth has been constant since. The
child suffers no pain at the inconyeni-
ence of not being able to sit up in conse-
quence of its deformity. The tension of
the skin is such that it does not yield as
readily 70 the touch as might be expected
from its appearance, yet the child does not
seem to experience any trouble from this,
and was sleeping as sweetly yesterday as
anybody's cherub. The child was born
February 20th of last year on Beech Fork
of Twelve-Polo creek, Wayne county,
West Virgins. It is of the male sex, and
is known as Frankly Canky.-[Cincinnati
Epr