The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-04
CHILD OR OLD MAN:
st. Louis Babe Dies of Cid Age After
Living Eight Months.

Now comes well authenticated story
from St Louis of infant who died an
| enfeebled old dotard at the age Of eight
months. During this short space of time it
ran the gamut of many, years, beard and
wrinkles overspread it, and at length it
succumbed to senile debility.
Sherman Robert Burch was the name of
this remarkable infant. 1t was the son of
Enoch Burch, poor fisherman, who lives
IN little cabin on the banks of the Mis-
sisstppi river Edward Randall: who is con-
nected with the North-side Dispensary, of
ST Louis he'd medical charge of this re-
markable child during the last two weeks
of it's existence. He says that it is the
strangest case that ever came to his notice
and well it may be, for there is no parallel
case record.
In the early part of this month the moth
er brought the infant to the dispensary in
order that it might receive medical attend
ance. and laid it before the astonished gaze
of DR.. Randall. Instead of the usual pink
and white complexion. the scarcely defined
features and lack of expression usual in
babes of that tender age, the doctor saw
before him what looked like an aged dwarf
with coarse hair a struggling beard and
mustache a face marked with careworn
lines, and eyes that cleaned with the cum
ming of insanity, combined with the fright
ened look of a hunted animal
The body was frail and delicate even for
babe of eight months, but the head was
fully developed and the face bore traces of
the marks which time leaves upon the faces
of men who have travelled a long road and
who have met with many buffets and trials.
The brain had evidently gone through all
the changes undergone by people of ma
ture years, though, of course. the child had
neither the time nor opportunity to gather
the wisdom that comes from the experience
of long years.
From the mother and from others who
had watched the strange development of
this infant the following facts of the chiIds
brief and remarkable history have been
cleaned:
The child of a pair of twins born
last December: the other twin, a girl, did
not survive. The little fellow showed signs
of precocious brightness. He had a lusty
pair OF lungs and a disposition to notice ev-
erything that was going on about him.
But by the time the winter had passed the
little fellows face was no longer that of
an infant; it bore traces of an unnatural
intelligence and the face alone might have
been mistaken for that of a boy of fifteen
years. Then the lines of thought on the lit
tie face deePened more and more with
each succeeding day; the corners of the
mouth became hard and drawn and crow s
feet gathered about the eyes.
When the summer came the life of the
babe commenced to ebb away Hair began
to grow upon the face and the light of rea
son commenced to fade away from the
eyes. Alarmed at these terrible changes,
the mother brought the child to the dis
pensarv, but the child died a fortnight
DR. Randall states that the child was in
sane at the time of its death He attributes
its death to senile debility The babes head.
he states. was fully developed in every
way, even to the bones. which were hard
and brittle. as is the case of people of adj
brain had developed to its fullest strength.
but fer the lack of nourishment it had
withered as quickly as 1t mad bloomed.
Dr. Randall asserts that he has con-
suited many medical authorities. but he
can find no parallel case to this. Some rare
cases have been noted abroad of boys of
nine or ten years of age who have died of
senile debility. but this, in all probability,
is the only case on record where an infant
has succunlbed to this disease.
Extremes sometimes meet it is said. and
in this case the extremes of youth and of
old age seem to have met indeed and the
result was a pitiable tragedy. Who can
imagine the impressions and sensations of
.I,iI . Nth St11I feD fail
rapidity from health to disease, from san
ity to insanity. from babyhood to seniity.
1t is the most tragic fate that ever over
took n child: it is an unparalleled case and
may IL ever remain