The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-02-23

Yesterday closed the history at Middle
town, sixteen miles south of this city, of
one of the most remarkable cases of dis
ease known to medical science, and in
stances of which there are but few on
record. Isaac Maddy was a man aged 81
years, highly respected citizen Of Mid
dletown, and u son of Andrew Maddy,
an equally well-known and esteemed
gentleman, and nephew OF Mr.. James
Maddy, of this city
About eleven months ago Mr.. Maddy
became afflicted with cancer on his
breast, and he has been troubled with it
ever since. About five months ago, how
ever, he began to turn dark until, inside
of three months, he became as dark as a
negro, and, indeed, would not have been
suspected of being white man save by
those who knew his history and family,
the purity of the latter being so well
known as to preclude all possibility of
natural causes. His hair is straight and
the whites of his eyes are OF brilliant,
pearly white-the two only characters.
tics, save the pure Caucasian features,
which make him differ from the verieat
negro. The face, neck, legs, arms, and,
in fact, the entire body, are OF deep
bronze or brown, and peculiarly so in
those portions particularly marked in the
race named. No physical disability was
noticeable in connection with it at first
further than what was considered attrib.
utable to the cancer from which he was
sufferer. But he gradually sunk away,
became weak and dehiltated, and on
Wednesday died.
Before his death, however, he was sent
for by prominent physician in this city,
who had seen him and who suspiconed a
very rare and mysterious malady, known
to medical science generally through
medical reports only, and in the presence
OF few noted physicians he was exam.
ined and his case made the subject OF dis
cussion through prominent medical works,
when his disease was pronounced Addi-
sons disease, from DR.. Addison of Guys
Hospital, London, who discovered it.
This disease, according to the SuyGen-
ham Lexicon OF Medicine and the Allied
Sciences, the latest and best authority
upon the subject, is tubercular infltra.
tion of the subra-renal bodies (Which lie
just above the kidneysl, usually charac
terized by discoloration or bronzing Of the
skin and progressive asthena, which is
ultimately fatal, first described by DR.
Addison in 1855.
The connection between the disease o
the adrenals and the discoloration OF thu
skin and the total asthenia is as yet
profound mystery to the medical fratern
ity, as so few cases have ever beel
known that a practical knowledge is al
most unobtainable. The cause of the ski
coloring is in an excessive deposit of pig
lHSllu III euC lctC HiuCUSulu, ~ I'D
even been discovered in the blood. Th
disease is always, as in this instance
fatal.
Mr.. Maddy was man of good intel
lect and much refinement, and his re
markable and unpleasant change wa
keenly felt by him long ere it was feare
it would prove fatal.
The physicians here were not notife
of Mr.. Maddys death until too late
ask for post mortem examination, an
are sadly disappointed at not being a
lowed the opportunity to aid science an
themselves by the valuable knowledG
obtainable by the investigations whic
such an operation would afford. NJ
Maddy was buried to-day.-[Munc
lind Special to the Cincinnati Enquire