Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-09-05
DETAILS OF THE STORY
OF the Man who Had His Face Tor,,
on by "a Shell.

- - i''i' p'hi iisiI
1t is almost impossible for the IN
scientific Reader 10 believe what is re-
lated of Jean Morcau. Il French artillery
man, wounded in the Franro German
war, whose story is told by Gen. Am
bert III the second Volume of his SOL
renlrS MlltarcS, which Is shortly to be
published i'll Paris.
brief outline of the case, from The
London Gi 'bc, has been gotng th,
rounds Of the press, but the following
details are 50 extraordinary in their
character that they are given in full:
"Moreau entered the service in 1870,
and the 3D. of January, 1871, WAS en-
gagged i'll the affair at Bapaume. To-
wards 3 o'clock III the afternoon, while
he was loading cannon, he was struck
down by Il shell, which, bur>,in. across
his face, tore away his nose, eyes. the
upper jaw. and Il portion of the lower
He WAS left for dead on the field, but
after a time recovered his SENSES. and by
chance staggered falling at almost every
step, on the road to the village of Eryil-
hers. the colonel of the Twenty fourth
regiment sent him from this place by
carriage To Arr;iS the next morning,
where he stayed till the 4th of Octo-
Der following. He was transferred
to the military hospital of the Val de
Grace at Paris fortnight later, and re-
manned there till the 26th of March.
1872, when clcatrlza'ion was nearly
complete All the soft portions of the
forcpart of the head having disappeared,
and the bony-framc work being crushed
in various places, the unfortunate man
presented the appearance of Il vcritablc
deaths head, with two cavities for the
eyes, one for the nose, and large open
ing for the mouth. However, by
ingenuity and patience wax
resemblance of Il face was invented,
and fitted with the utmost cxactltude
to the healthy port tleRs of the flesh
which still surrounded the immense
cicatriX. The adhesion, which is almost
hermetic, was completed by a natural
cushion of skin. which thus, as it were,
keeps the border of the mask in a
groove. The inner cavity has also been
utilized. one of It's Use being by means
of lint, To guard the patient against the
effects of sudden alienation of heat
and cold while the upper jaw and the
palate are protected by a plate to which
are attached il row of false eth, and
ma>tcation of the hardest kinds of food
is successfully performed
Thanks to the disposition of the nat
ural parts and to the ingenious shaping
of the mask, and particularly that of the
false nose, respiration is rendered posi-
BILE through its no>trilS, and indeed has
regained the normal direction, from be-
low to above The system of acration is
assisted by two small holes toward the
inner angle of the eye, creating Il cur
rent of air, the eyes themselves of course
being closed. The sense of smell, strange
to say, has been rcgaincd, while the
voice POSSESSES its natural tone and
clcarnesS. Thus Morcau when he
removes his mask, it is needless
to say, presents most hid
eous aspect i'll consequence of
the disappearance Of Il great part of
the bony portion as we'll as the muscles
which should cover them, and of whose
head there literally remains only the
brain and the cranium--is enabled by
the wonderful exercise of medical skill
and constructive talent to breathe, eat,
SPEAK, Sllltl, anu even, SO III IL Sdlu, 10
play the flute The mutilatcd soldier,
who is fond of chatting about mis- cam
paigns, possesses that resigned air com
mon To blind men, and his scnSe of
touch, moreover has excessively devel-
oped. He lives at Favril, L.andrecieS,
i'll the Nori department, and ekes
out his pension by the sale of pam
phlct rccounting the facts of his Won
drOuS cure. Perhaps, says Gen. Am
bert, it would have been we'll To have
kept silence about this poor fellow but
it is not sufficient to only show the
glories of war; every one should know
the sacrifices of the soldier This one
has given more than his life, for each
day which passes is Il martyrdom.' But
Moreau never complains He is held in
great respect by those who know him;
and feels Il genuine pride in showing the
Cross of the Legion of Honor on his
breast 10 the many curious travellers
who turn out of their way 10 see the
'homnie Il la tete de cire.'"