Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-18
A TRANSPARENT HEAD.
The Light OF a lamp Visible Through
a ChilaS's Occiput.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
remarkable freak of nature arrived in this
city yesterday in the way of a child which has
managed to live for seventeen months without
that bony dome of thought which is regarded
as 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
a skull. the head is translucent and almost
transparent, while by the aid of lamp prop
erly held 1t may be perceived that the brain
cavity is filled with a cOlOrless 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 upper head has drawn
the skin until the eyelids will not close, and the
eyebrows are pulled up an inch at least above
tine normal position. When an Enquirer reporter
visited the child Yesterday it was asleep and its
mother would not allow it to be awakened for
experiments rather dim coil-Oil lamp was
placed behind the mOnstrous head, and cleaned
throughit as thoughthe skin formed the only OBJ
stacle 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 NOV
ing the lamp. The light behind the head illum-
ined the whole of the interior, being as percep-
tible upon the side as the front of the Oceiput.
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 remark
able 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 1t 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 teething period, is one of the won
ders of physiology. Its senses are said to be
perfect and acute, and it possesses enough in
telligence to smile family when tickled and to
recognize food when it sees it. When the child
was born it was known as the .' headless
baby" as it seemed cut off above the ears on
line slOping toward the nape of the neck. while
wrinkled skin covered the top. 1t suffered
greatly. and its life was preserved with diff
Guilty. At three or tour weeks of age the skin
began to fill out, when the child's sufferngs
ceased and it enjoyed good health. The growth
has been constant SINCE The child suffers no
pain, and only the Inconvenience of not being
able to sit up, in consequence of its defOrmty.
The tension Of the skin is such that it does not
yield as readily to the touch as might be eX-
pected from it's appearance, yet the child does
not seem to experience any trouble from this,
and was sleeping as sweetly yesterday as any
bOdy's cherub. =
The child was born February 90 of last year on
Beech Fork Of Twelve-POle creek, Wayne CO.,
VIVA. 1t is of the male sex, and is known as
Frankly Canady.