The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-01
4 1uIARxADIB oAn

-somsthaaS About ne Ddseasa
From the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Ono of the most remarkable invalids
in the city, Joseph Baociocoo, died yes
terday morning, aged 10 years. The
cause Of his death was elephantiasis.
From this complaint his right leg was
enlarged to fearful extent, and at the
calf was three feet four inches in circum-
ference he vas familiar 70 . treat
many people ST Cincinnati; Who bud p6:
ticed him on the streets and x8hdefSd Ut
the enormous development Of his limb.
To such an extent had the disease grown
on him that the boy weighed nearly
300 pounds, atleast one-half of this be-
ing confined to tho one limb. It is said
he was the only victim of the disease
on record in this city. DR.. August
Ravogli, his physician, who has attend
ed him for the last two years, called
yesterday with photographer to have
portraits taken of the leg in different
portions for the benefit of the medical
fraternity; but the relatives positively
declined. Though under such terri.
BILE disadvantage, the boy always man
aged to get about with ordinary activity,
could walk at rapid gait, enjoyed
different sports, and was. in fact, too
fond of exercise for his own safety.
Too much exercise few days ago, DR..
Ravogli says, produced Inflammation
and fever which caused his death.
When asked to define what the dis
ease was, the Doctor said last night to
an Enquirer reporter. ut is very rare
in this country, and b Indigenous ia
warm climates, such as Egypt; Africa;
Asia, India and Italy: L have seen it;
and treated It in clinics in the Old coun:
try, It was known among the ancients,
and for q time record of it was nearly
lost. In the middle ages there was the
elephantiases of the Arabs and the ole:
phantiases of the Greeks: The latter
was q sort. of leprosy, and the same
names for the different diseases caused
confusion in the medical literature
that was very hard to ,uaravel, and was
often most annoying. The enlargement
is caused by the hypertrophy of the
connecting tissue Of the skin, and the
primary cause, the origin Of all the
trouble, is the lack of proper cir.
culation of the blood. The en-.
largement is caused by inhamma,
ton of the lymphatic vessels.
About every six months, or perhaps
oftener, inflammation occurs and the
leg swells: When the fever goes dowu
the swelling still remains, and thus The
leg continues to grow larger. Cut in
and you find an enormous mass of q
substance which looks like lard
Squeeze this and fatty fluid is exuded,
which solidifies when it comes togeth-
er. The bone develops with the swell
ing, and mass of bone forms, and the
veins and tissues all keep up with the
abnormal development. Baccioco might
have lived much longer, but he exer
cised too violently and brought about
inflammation. Then the absorption o.
the Emphatic element from the dis
eased member into the system caused
his death, makingit 'fibrinous absorp
ton His foot was normal. Tn.
swelling began at his ankle and contin.
ued to the abdomen, being the largest
rorty inches) at his calf. The develop
ment began few months after hi
birth. The epidermis of the PATIENT
leg was discolored and notified"