Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-08
A CHILD WITH A TAIL.
A Louisville cctoroon Gives Birth
to a Child Which Puzzles
the Doctors.

l4OHlSNlHc tOlnlncrClhl.I
In a shady lane below Thirty-cighi
street, between Bank and Market,
stands neat frame cottage, newly
coated with white wash. The house
is issurroundcl by trees and shrubbery,
and the front yard is divided into
blooming flower plat'. The house is
occupied by James Clark, his wife
and an adopted daughter. The latter
has been given the name Of Ruth.
On a cold winters night, sixteen years
ago, she was left on the doorstep, and
Mrs. Clark has kindly watched oyer
her ever since. She has grown to be
tall, and although all octoroon, has a
complexion of almost perfect white
ness. Her harris long, black and curly
Her teeth shine like two rows of
pearls, and are splendidly displayed
beneath her thin and arched upper
lip.
Since Monday Mrs. Clark AYERS
that IA thousand Of people have visi-
ted the house. The visitors have been
mostly colorcd people, with consid-
cradle sprinkling of medical pract-
TONERS. Yesterday a body of thirty
three medical students were at the
house an hour, and went away prom
ising to return in Il few days and
bring their note books with them
Six weeks ago Yesterday messenger
in the shape OF baby gill came TO the
house of Jas. Clark. II was born TO
his adopted daughter, and presents a
striking freak OF nature. Celia Alex
ander, a doclrcsS of No 1927 High av-
onuc, was called in to administer med
ical attention. Being somewhat sup
erslitious, she is said To have declared
that son!e great fatality was about to
befall the family when she viewed
the infant. 1t was a pretty child,
with black eyes and black hair, per.
fcctly formed, except in the rcgiyn oI
its pclvis. The lower end of the YER
tcbre extends below the trunk of the
baby, and formed very marked anl
distinct tail.Th1 appen,lage measured
ali inch in diameter at the body and
tapcrcd gracefully for a length of foul
inches, when il ended abruptly with
n slight curl, and few strans OF
coarse hair Another striking dcior-
nifty was the double hips which the
child possessed. The abnormal pair
was like tikc two banks of flesh. in the
center of which could be found q
hard bOny substance. To sum up
the child had hips and tail which
bore pronounced resemblance to the
American hog. Since its birth the
little freak has been very hea thy,
Notwithstanding its mother has been
lying very i'll. The tail and abnor.
NAL hips have developed alarmingly
rapid, and threatened to become the
most prominent features about the
child. The tail yesterday measured
six and one-quartcr inches, and tho
hips wonld have made a fair showing
in canvass ham bag. For thii
reason the mother is uneasy. She |,
afraid the child will turn into al, tai
and hips.
"lf it does," she said yesterday, "a
will travel with it with some circus
Two or three Of my friends have al
ready told me that | could exhibi
, the child and make barrel Of
money"
"But you wont do anything of III,
kind" said Mrs. Clark, angrily, wht
made the remarks of her adopted
daughter. aft that tail keeps on grow
ing l am going to cut it of, what
! moro, those two arms must be doctor
cd some way to stunt their gtowth
Why, she never could walk around il
a stylish dress with that deformity OF
her hips."
"rhe little freak will prove won
der to the profession" said DR.. w. II
Peters, of No. $50 Third street. "
intend 10 observe it closely, and pre-
pare some sort of an opinion about i
myself. Natures freaks are alway!
Interesting, but one Of this character
is doubly so. While its origin is cas-
lily accounted for, such perfect dcvcl
opment of the abnormal parts as th
child presents is nothing short of
phenomenon. The mother evidcntl,
was chased or frightened by a hog
Nothing else could have producet
such awondcrful result"
Meanwhile the infant continues t
grow and laugh and kick. II has al
ready exhibited n peculiar fondnes
for corn bread, and, unlike most chill
dren of its age, has no desire for mili
1t will be an object of much curiosit
among physicians and eminent seiul