The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1885-05-07
HE SHEDS HIS SKIN.
A MAN LOSES HIS ENTIRE
cuTrcLE EVERY YEAR.

Thirty-three YeArS-An Extraor-
binary Case.
The only man who was ever literally
skinned alive in this city Is now in Mon
tana mining camp and he left his skin
behind him. Ills name is not for pnbli-
cation for the reason that he is the most
natural freak in existence, and being
modest man he objects TO the unpleasant
notoriety which would individually fol-
low. A rough experience two years ago
undoubtedly had something 20 do with
his desire TO avoid publicity. He was in
a mining camp when his queer disease
paid its annual visitation, and he went
out Of his head through fear and excite
ment He was unable to leave the camp
for treatment, and when the miners saw
his condition they thought he was leper
and decided to shoot him. The mob adj
vanced on him, but his brother, with his
revolver cooked, stood over the afflicted
man and drove them of by threatening
to shoot the first man who drew his
weapon.
In one OF the Office rooms Of ST. Eliza
beths Hospital hangs the strangest pic
ture that can be seen in Chicago, or in
the United States for that matter. With
In the frame are four photographs repre-
scnting man in the act OF shedding his
skin. The most characteristic parts OF
the skin are in the frame also-both
hands perfect, with the exception OF the
finger nails, and the soles and heels OF
both feet, with little Of the upper poT-
tion-in fact perfect pair Of gloves and
a pair Of moccasins. In the centre OF the
picture are half dozen perfect nails,
which formerly belonged to this skim
shedding man. Then there are several
large plates Of the cutiele taken from
various parts Of the body.
One OF the photographs shows this
strange human being with his arms out
stretched, the old skin poeling of and
hanging from his body In shreds like
tattercd shirt, while the new skin can be
detected by the whitcness Of the photo.
graph. All the skin has been oiled, and
some OF the pieces are perforated, while
Others could be used as q gourd without
a drop Of water escaping. The hands
and feet are OK yellow tint from being
handled professionally and from being
used as gloves and slippers by the former
owher, the rest Of the skin being Of q
milky hue.
The han who once wore this skin for
natural purposes Is now at work in full
possession Of 0 new skin, which will
leave him next summer. He has been
peeling OF bis skin from the crown Of his
head 70 the secs OF his feet for thirty
three years, the same day Of each year,
and it was only on the last occasion that
publicity followed and tho medical pro-
fession became aware Of this phenomenon
Of nature.
lie Is the second eldest childof fam
ily OF thirteen, all Of whom are living,
and bis grandmother Is ninety-seven
years old. lnthe winter Of 1857 the home
Of his parents ia Franklin, No, was
burnt down during the Kansas
Missouri troubles. His father was away
and his mother escaped to the bhnlsa Of
the Mcfedcnsen river, where this remark
able man was born, exposed to the open
air. This may or may not have had
something 10 do with his skin shedding.
AT any rate at six months OF age his first
crop Of new skin appeared all over his
body. At that time and for several
years afterward his mother thought II
was only The eruptive fever Of childhood
and paid little attention to the yearly
event lie remembers distinctly she'd
ding his skin at FIVE years OF age while
playing around his old home. He has
always been healthy in other respects.
A photograph which was taken Of him
Just before he shed his skin in this city
shows tall, well-proportioned man Of
splendid physique, his muscles standing
oat Ike those Of O prize fighter. lie has
an intelligent countenance, wears small
light mnstache and Is without spot or
Last July he left his home at
Mont, intending to 50 to
Philadelphia. He arrived in Chicago
the latter part OF the month, and as his
skin-peeling spell Of sickness always be-
gins July % Of each year he decided to
use a letter Of introduction from Mon
tana friend to DR.. Jacob Frank, Lincoln
avenue.
When he quietly informed DIR. Frank
hat he wanted to be admitted to O hos
pital, so that he could shed his skin, the
physician was incredulous. but when the
Montana miner went on to say that In
lhree days, between the hours Of 12 noon
and p. m, he would be taken sick with
lever and vomiting and would be sick all
hat night and within a day or two an
Eruption resembling scarlatina would APP
pear, that the skin Of the hands and feet /
would come OF first like gloves and |
that his hair would fall away
md that all his nails would come of, /
Dr.. Frank mentally decided that the |
nan was either a lunatic or a practical /
oker. But the doctor arranged for the /
,atient to be given q room at 81. Eliza
'eth's Hospital and invited Drs. Mont
,omery, Ncwburg, Macarthur, Hyde,
sanford. Anthony and other skin special
sts TO observe the case.
As predicted-and this is the most re-
feature Of remarkable case
t 3o'clock on the afternoon Of July 25
he patient had to be put 10 bed. Then
anne q fever, followed by vomiting, and
he neck, face and hands became as red
8 a lobster. II took two days for the
Id skin 70 resume IL normal color. AZ
er the sicknesssthe old skin began to
oosen and q whole new skin took It's
lace within two weeks. Il takes be-
Ween two and three weeks for the nails
o come cf. he is able 10 be up and
bout after the first days sickness, and
3 his feet and hands are tender BE uses {