The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-18
BORN WITH FUR.
A Most Extraordinary Freak of Natur
in Michigan.

IA %AOoS FfSak Oh
in Michigan.
Zachariah Thornton OF Owasso, Mich,
was in the city yesterday en- route to New
Orleans, La.
Mr.. Thornton has the distinction of
being father of the most remarkable child
ever born into the world.
About ten years ago the mother of the
child took a walk, and it was dusk when
she returned. A short distance from the
house an animal ran across the road,
frightening her very badly. A few weeks
afterward son was born. At the time of
his birth he was covered with fur. There
was no hair IN his head, but in, its place
was a thick growth of fur, extending from
the neck to the shoulders.
AS the baby grew the fur grew, and by
the time he was two years old 1T became SO
long and covered so much of his body that
during the summer it was feared he could
not live. 1t was then removed and the
child carefully shaved from head to foot.
1t was of very fine texture and could easily
pass for that of a mink, which was evil
IDENTIFY the animal that had frightened the
mother, although she did not know at the
time what il was.
In few days after being shaved off the
Objectionable covering again began to grow
out and in a few weeks the infant was
again covered. Physicians advised leaving
1t during the winter months, and were of
the opinion that in q few years the phe-
nomenon could be made to cease.
The parents feared that their child
would be an imbecile, but after it had
reached the age of two years it began to
show signs of considerable intelligence,
and, while 1t neither walked nor talked as
early as some children, when it COM
menced it was not slower than others in
developing.
The case attracted the attention of physi-
clans throughout that section. While they
knew the principle that when mother is
frightened the offspring will frequently
bear resemblance to whatever frightened
her, this was an instance out of the ordi-
nary, and, beyond the fur, the child
showed none of the traits or features of a
mink.
The fur was carefully saved, and when
submitted to experts it was invariably pro-
nounced to be that of mink, and finally
the mother used 1t for the purpose of stuff
fling pillows.
When the time came for the child to be
taught, serious question arose. He
would be exposed to the SCOTS and jeers of
his companions, and as yet his parents
had carefully kept him out of sight as
much as possible. The mother has several
other children and her time was too much
occupied to teach him, so at the sugges-
ton OF physician the child was shaved
and started to school. Every day since
that time the boy has been shaved from
head to foot and wears wig of real hair to
hide the badness of his head
In the summer he suffers no inconven-
fence from being thus treated, but the
heavy covering of fur, which is natural to
him, renders 1t necessary in winter to
dress him as warmly as possible, and then
he suffers from the cold even in the school
room, where fire is kept constantly
burning.
The fur still grows as rapidly as ever,
and all hope has been abandoned that ii
Will ever be stopped. The boy is in good
health and is of fully average intelligence.
Cincinnati Enquirer.