The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-22
he HAS TWO HEARTS.
Ine Wonderful Darky Who Dropped
Into the Editors Room.

~@NI 4-AANOA . EeOOlls
PITTsBURG, July 2O-''I'se Doctah Will
yum-m King, the Yankee Black Man from
Boston Use got two hearts, an two sets of
RIBS, an L kin stop eeder heart-'jest as
easyr"
ne foregoing was the startling announce
thent OF a short, heavy-set negro who strobe
INTO The Dispatch editorial rooms last night
Inc colored gentleman took off his coat.
lnopped his brow with bandana. and
uropPed into chair. He then
raised his only remaining upper gar
ment and proceeded to roll about
his abdomen, which consisted of a great ft soft
Dulp, In a most ludicrous manner. Suddenly
the workings of the muscles ceased. and,
when the city editor and the reporters put
thelr hands on the negro, where formerly
there mad only been a soft bulb there was
now a hard, resistant, bony cage. In other
MoTls' the ribs appeared to extend from the
neck 10 the legs
with the hands of the spectators still on
em enese 1Slse ribs, the latter were gradually
scoped up behind the true ribs.
Az the request of Mr.. King, the city
eGloor put a hand on each side OF the negro's
chesl, ana was surprised to find a distinct
impulse or thud on each side, Just below the
nipple, as though two hearts were beating
against the ribs Next, the negro, after a
sort OF convusion of the abdominal mus
COS protruded violently throbbing inter
nal OBJECT down below his ribs on the lett
side; then, allowing this to recede to it's
place, he pulled down what he called
HIS OTHER HEART,
which could be seen and felt pulsatiuQ low
down on the right side. With one hand on
this pulsating mass and the other on the
LETT breast, both hearts could be felt dis
tlnctly beating.
Here 1t was thought advisable to call in
physician to explain the phenomenon A
messenger was sent out, and soon returned
with Dr. Chevalier @. jackson The doctor
proceeded to make a thorough examination.
ana soon reported the results substantially
as follows:
The man has two distinct heartsg con-
nected only by the large blood vessels and
propaoly very elastic pericardium. He
mas the power Of moving these two hearts
Independently and can place them one at
time down in his groins, when they can
be seen and felt pulsating. He can ston
one or both from beating for a period of a
minute and probably longer, if would let
him. The stopping of either heart stops the
pulse beat on the corresponding side. If
both hearts are stopped no pulsation can be
detected over the heart, at the wrist, tenn
pies, nor anywhere else in the body.
Inc left heart Is the larger, being as big
as cocoanut, which is a large heart for
this sized man. The right heart is sm ller-
about as big as a goose egg When one
heart is down in the flank, and the o her in
It's natural place, the two organs are sepa-
rated about IA inches. AS they lie ordinarily
IN the chest they are about or inches
apart.
POSSIBLY IT'S hops.
His pulsation is about normal; but he has
murmur in his right heart which may be
from drinking. He has an alcoholic pulse.
and probably If he don't give up whisky he
will turn up some fine morning on the dis
secting table. He will be worth more dead
than hving-that is, worth more financially
for any anatomist will give $4,000 for his
body. As TO the phenomenon Of stoppino
his heart, that is not an absolutely new
thing; there have been three similar cases
known to science; one who, after stopping
his heart for exhibition failed TO get II
going again, aud died IN conseGuence
None of the three cases | refer to could stoD
their hearts for as great length Of time as
this man. l have warned hlm to be careful.
for he already has inurmur in his right
heart, and with his alcoholic habit il will
be no surprise to me to hear of him some
day not being able to start his heart after
stopping it.
lue HlOsU peculiar tnlng about 1t is the
fact that each heart appears to be complete.
and to furnish blood each to its own side of
the body. In some species of the lower ami
lnals thore are two distinct hearts, but in
them the right side sends blood to the lungs.
and the left side TO the general circulation
through the whole body. AS to
HIS SECOND SET OF RIBS.
they seem to be there, but the great thick
ness and rigidity of bis muscles makes a
positive examination impossible. Certain
it is, however, he has some sort Of bony
formation which he has the power to bring
down so as to cover his bowels and his en-
tire belly 50 as to make mis- trunk resemble
bony barrel 1 will make a more thor
ough examination of nim when have more
time. He is certainly the only man living
who has any of the peculiar qualities that
he has shown me.
Mr.. King is about feet inches in
hight, of herculean build, with gigantic
biceps, He has Travelled from ono end OF
the earth to the other exhibiting his pecu-
liar attributes to the medical profession.
He is ar present boarding near the south
end of tie Panhandle tunnel. He says he is
Y years 0-d, though he does not look it by
thirty years. He claims to be able to bend
a three-quarter inch ircn bar across his left
arm; and to feel his arm, no oae would
doubt it. Physicians everywhere are in
tensely interested in his case.