The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-02-03
" Can the Ethiopian Change
His Skin?"

The latest freak of nature, which
has been iexciting comment and in
viting study among medical and
scientific men, is, says the louisville
Courier Journal, negro woman who
is gradually changing color and get
ting q very handsome white COM
plexion. The negro womsn's name
is Jane Mckay, and che formerly
lived on Broadway near Sixth street,
but is nov residing on Sixteenth
betWsenC Chestnut and Madison streets,
Louisville. She is a native of that
city and is about 80 years old. Her
parents we're negroes OF the old
fashioned type, with sll the marked
characteristics OF their race, both in
form and manners. When she grew
up nothing unusual was noticed in
her Color, which was OF q dark
brown, nearly approaching the shiny
black features which are seen in the
negroes of the typical southern stamp.
She looked full blooded negress,
and her short, kinky hair, thick lips
and shiny black eyes and glossy color
80 pronounced her.
The change of color first became
noticeable about five years ago, when
a email piece of the skin on the side
of her neck was rubbed of, and in
place OF the natural shade q white
spot was left when the place was
healed up. This was thought pecu-
liar, and the astonishment OF those
who knew her was greatly augmented
when another similar spot appeared
on her neck little higher up. This
spot looked as il the natural skin had
been pushed of and the white grown
ia its place. The spot increased very
eloWly, but gradually became elon-
gated, and both white spots were
united in one, making a patch larger
than q silver dollar. Soon after this
3 number OF the white patches ap-
peared on her face, neck and arms,
until she bore the appearance of bav-
ing been slightly sprinkled with white
paint. One patch, on her forehead
near the left eye, Was particularly
noticeable on account of its size ana
the rspidity with which it increased,
90 it continued 90 grow down the side
of her face, uniting with a patch on
her cheek, leaving half the side of
her face q pale flesh color, which con-
trasted strongly with the blackness
of the rest OF her features. The
change of color has been going on
sloWly ever since, until she is nearly
white, her limbs and body having
also partaken in the transformation.
Her appearance is most remarks-
BILE, and, in its unfinished state,
rather repulsive. The change is now
10 great that the natural color is only
seen in patches on her face, and she
bears the appearance OF having once
oeen white, but undergoing a change
% the colored race. The striking
hing about her, which would at once
excite curiosity, ia the contrast and
Of the different colors. The
head is still surmounted by a thick
growth uf Woolly hair OF the most
ieoided African type, tho eyes pre-
erve their natural shining look, and |
he whites are clear and large, set
ing them of to fine advantage.
AcTosa the left side of she face is one |
'road strip OF white extending from
he chin to the centre OF the forehead,
,eing broken here and there by q
mall black patch OF skin, like a
igure engraved in the flesh. The
ther side OF the face is more mot
led, and toe black and white alter
ate with considerable regularity.
Ter neck and hands have nearly IN
ergone a complete and entire
hange, and are as white as those of
ny Caucasian. The body is OF the
anne color, and SO the white is still
Increasing the transformation will
oon be completed, with the excep-
ion OF the hair and eyes, which will
,etray her African origin. She takes
o the matter very kindly, and does
lot seem at all to object to being
made white.
Such cases as this are very rare,
md are generally the result of some
Iisease, often hereditary. DR.. Luns-
ord P. Yandell, probably the best
,uthor ~ in the country on such dis
ases, in 1879 wrote an elaborate
.rticle on the subject, in which he
eported thirteen cases, a few OF
which were those OF white persons
urning black. He states that, as to
he cause of the transformation moth
ng but speculation can be advanced. |
several diseases have been known to
produce vitiiigo or change OF color, |
and Wilson gives the case of a man |
Who was terribly frightened by being
shot st, and whose entire skin be-
came black in less than three months.
Typhus fever has, in several cases.
been known to cause this change.
In the article DR.. Yandell gives one
particularly extraordinary case-that |
Of a negro woman who suffered a
severe attack OF pleuro-pneumonia,
which was followed by perfect re.
oovery. Soon after, while in IN
olemished health, a change OF color
oervaded her entire person, snd in
iwentY-tour hours she became white |
rom head to foot, and was often
lfterWard mistaken fo- Caucasian. |
Her general health is not affected in