St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-25
HUMAN CHAMELEON.
An Old Man Whose Skin Be-
comes Light and Dark
by Turns,
Resembling the SensitiZed Pa
per Used in Photographic
Work.
Nitrate Of Silver for Throat
Treatment Produced the
Effect.
st. Paul Physicians Greatly
Interested in the Sim
gular Case.

to the notice of local physicians is that
of William Corse, Ian old man OF seventy
two years who is stopping at the Hotel
Carlisle, on East Seventh street. COrse
came to st. Paul from Adams county,
Ill.,, arriving here but a few days ago.
Since his arrival he has been the cyno-
sure of all eyes Oh account Of the pc
culiar affiiction from which he is suffer
ing, and which makes him conspicuous
from the odd appearance it gives him.
Seen at high noon when the sun is shin
ing with its tiercest warmth, the man is
as black as a full-blooded plantation
negro, his Enthusiastically Caucasian
cast of feature, however, precluding
even a possibility of the presence
of negro blood IN his veins.
AS the day wears on and with evening
comes less heated atmosphere, COrSe'S
face turns to the sickly lead color of the
LaScar, and when darkness comes fades
to an unnatural white. The old gentle
was seen by GLOBE reporter Oh East
Seventh street yesterday, and curiosity
prompted the scribe to an investigation
of the causes which had led to his
present condition. Corse was found
later in the day seated in his room at
the Carlisle, and when made aware of
the calling of his visitor evinced dis
position to withhold the story of the
experience which has formed him into
a veritable chameleon,
Ppm an old man." he said, in voice
the tremulOuSnesS of which bore out his
assertion. Ppm very old man and
have managed to evade newspaper no
toriety so far. l hope you will say
nothing about me. [ am not always as
ko6 Int m 6aU
first really hot spell of the season, and
the effect on my skin was more marked
than it will be when | have become &C
customed to summer weather."
Being urged, however,
THE QUEERLY DISFIGURED
old man gave his story, SAYING that he
was good ways from home and he
didn't suppose it would matter much.
He was born, he said, at Danville, Pa,
of farmer parents, and is farmer him
self, now owning a farm iii Adams
county, ILL.,, to which state he moved
while still a young man, and married
there. He has one child, son, who is
still resident of Adams county. The
world went well with him. He made a
success of farming and saved a
little competency from his laborS
in that direction. 1t was in
1855 that the events trans
pired which changed the color of his
skin from white to black. About that
time he became troubled with an affec-
ton of the throat and sought medical
aid, confident that cure could be eff
fected. After trying several remedies
the physician attending him resorted to
painting the inside of the throat with
nitrate of silver, making visit to the
txriOn a yunnlr RI onnlu thn rnnlQ6U
personally. Corse became impatient at
the slow operation of the stuff and began
applying the silver himself every day.
His physician discovering this, warned
him to discontinue the applications, as
the result might prove disastrous.
The warning came too late, how
ever; the mischief had been
done. As the summer came on
and the heat increased the face and
hands of the victim OF misapplication
began to turn black. 1t was noticed
then, as now. that the more brightly
the sun Shone the blacker was the color
assumed. Corse became alarmed and
consulted the best talent of the Jeffer
son Medical college, at Jefferson, Pa.
1t was there explained to him that the
silver nitrate had been absorbed into his
system, and that the action of the sun
upon exposed portions of his body was
precisely the same as upon the paper
SensitiZed by silver bath process for
Photographic purposes. The case was
regarded as one of the most curious
ever heard of, and series of lectures,
with Corse as an illustration OF the sub
| iect, were delivered to the students at
| the college. Some hope was held out
to him by the
LEANING MEDICAL MEN
of Philadelphia, that he might be cured,
| and in one case cream of tartar was
prescribed as a remedy. The patient
persevered in using the latter for six
months, and finally gave it up as a bad
| Job, there having been no visible change
| for the better. st. Paul physicians are
taking a good deal of interest in the
case, and it is said that a similar one
was once successfully operated on by
DR.. DedOlf, of this city. The use of
nitrate of silver in treating throat affec-
tons has now been almost entirely dis
continued by the profession. remedies
more simple and involving less risk
| having been discovered. In this partic-
ular instance the dark color assumed
during those hours in the day when the
light is brightest, is emphasized by the
white beard worn. CorSe is bald but
| lOr lew IOChS VI gray IdlI ISuIdlulIiS
above bis ears, and the top Of his head,
shielded as it is by his hat from the
| light, seldom becomes as black as the
| more exposed portions of his anatomy.
1T has been a great drawback to me"
he said, referring to his affection, "but
there is no pain from it, and my appe-
tite is as good as it was when l was
twenty. expect to stay in st. Paul a
| week or more. and shall then return to
my home in Adams county,"
A number of curious people have Wis
ted the hotel since the advent of the
| old gentleman from Illinois, and all are
treated by him with politeness and
| courtesy,