Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28
A TALKING SKELET0N.
Isaac SPrague's Animated Bones Ex.
hibited at Rush Medical College.
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune
Isaac Sprague. who is usually advertised in
museums or travelling shows as the living ske!-
eton, was exhibited yesterday TO the students of
the Rush Medical College. and was made the
sufJect OF lecture by Dr. Henry NJ. Lyman.
several hundred students filed the tiers of seats
Iha' rose above each other to the roof of the
amphltheater. and in the small semicircle below
sat the skeleton. A skeleton he was. indeed,
Tor there did not appear to be single vestire
Oh nesh on his body, and the skin was drawn
tightly over the bones. He wore pair of
trunks. leaving his legs chest and arms nude.
and more repulsve sight to any lover OF the
human form divine it would be difficult to
imagine. The mans spine was curved to one
side, and there was a tremuOus pulsation in
the neck over the right shOu der that produced
an irritating effect upon an observers Nerves
Spra-rues face Is not attenuated in comparison
with his body, and his neck seems to preserve
some muscular tissues but all the remainder is
mass OF living artculated bones
Dr. Lyman'S lecture was interesting and was
listened to with much attention He pro-
n0unced Sprague'S disease to be genuine case
OF progressive muscular atrophy and went on
to describe in scientific terms the lateral cu,ya
ture OF the spine the pulsation above referred
TO ana how 1t was impossible for any patient to
make number OF common motions on account
OF the complete wasting away Of his muscles.
lhe skeleton said that lie was fort -two years
muscular atrophy for thirty years ceases such
as TINS, said tile lecturer. generally run their
course in five years, and few have been known
to exceed twenty years. 1t is safe to say that
there IS no case like the present one on record"
Inc speaker drew attention to the fact that
there was a slight trace OF muscle left on the
arm between the elbow and shoulder and that
the little that was left was perfectly sound AS
usual thing. he said atronnv finally attacked
lhe respiratory muscles and then the patient
at ftIlt
neck OF Srrague were out of proportion to the
size OF the ether parts of the body showing that
as yet he had escaped the most horrible rayaces
of the disease Atrophy often appears as a vice
III the blood. passing through succession of
generations, but all Spragues relatives had
been healthy.
Have you suffered much: z" the doctor then
asked.
No said the skeleton in a voice almost as
thin as his legs. Il have had no rheumatic
pains; have suffered no loss of sleep; can eat
three hearty meals a day, and have been married
twice and now have three children"
Inc last statement the skeleton repeated in
several forms. as though DESTROYS Of iInprcssinn
1t upon his audience. The doctor went on to
say that it was impossible to tell how spragues
disease originated, ana the complaint was one
"hch It was Impossible to cure. Sometimes
atFOphy was caused by an accident and then
the chances were favorable of arrestng the dis
ease, 1t being confined to certain set of mis-
cl2s but when the disease was disseminated
through the system by the nerve cell, connected
with the spine medicines We're powerless The
nSldl0us work OF chronic inflammation is fol-
lowed by wasting away OF the muscles, started
without any apparent cause. and baflied all skill
to stop it. Sprague had tried all sorts of rene
dies. but none had affected him. although cod
liver OH and ale had flushed his face somewhat,
without producing any tissue.
The skeleton, in conclusion, told the students
that he now weighed fifty pounds. which was
half vi hat he weighed when the disease BEGAN.
lie said. in an incidental and humorous way.
that his wife weighed LIZ pounds He himself
Is I'VE feet i've and one-half inches in height
and his boy. weighing t25 pounds, can carry the
father about like a Child