The herald., 1898-03-29
A PHYSICAL WONDER
A Man With Some Organs Missing
others Misplaced

John Burns, Or rather that portion of him
which Providence has been kind enough to
allow Intact, is In the city. This remark
able man is enjoying fair health, minus
some of the most essential organs Of the
human body.
Burns object in coming to this city is to
have an operation performed at the city
hospital. He called there yesterday
morning and complained to DR.. Shields, the
receiving physician, that something panied
him in the region Of the heart, which is on
his right side. DIR. Shields was unable to
determine just what the trouble is, but be-
lieves that the celluloid plate which acts
as ribs has moved out of position and is CIV
ing Burns some trouble.
Burns was advised to call again today
when, in all probability, he will be oper-
ated upon. Burns came here from Louis
vile yesterday morning and will be on his
way west just as soon as the operation
which he intends to have performed here
Is completed and he has recovered enough
to allow him to travel. Burns is known
from coast to coast and is regarded by
medical men as one of the freaks of the
age.
Burns does not breathe through his nose
or his mouth. His windpipe. or at least
that portion of it which is visible over the
collar of an ordinary man, is missing and a
silver tube with a valve performs the du-
ties of this organ. His aesophagus Is also
of silver, and for four or five years he had
TO have his food poured into 1t instead OF
passing 1t through his mouth. Burns has
overcome this obstacle, however, and he
can now store away square meal through
the mouth by first wetting his pipes with
some warm liquid. A large portion of his
right jaw is also made of silver, yet, with
all these artificial organs, Burns says he
enjoys fair health and has no complaint
to make.
Burns home Is In Philadelphia, but fol-
the past few years he has been travelling
about the country exhibiting himself be-
fore medical societies. He Is 81 years old
and has without doubt suffered more than
any living man, yet he does not seem to be
IN the least discouraged, and says that life
10 as sweet to him as ever.
When the steamboat Savannah was
wrecked near Philadelphia in 1892, Burns
was the engineer of the craft. After the
explosion, to use his own terms, the res.
cuers gathered him up with shovels. He
had been crushed to almost pulp. BE.
| ing taken for dead, he was placed in {
coffin and preparations made for inter
ment. John, however. did not like the
idea of being put under the sod. SO on he
day that he was to have been buried ht
showed his fist through. the top Of the cot
I'm and made known the fact that he wa.
tstiH worth several dead men. He was AK
EN- to hospital and then followed a serie.
of operations. Medical skill virtually bull,
| up new man out of the fragments left by
~ Burns isr now living without rib In his
body. A celluloid plate has taken the place
of the ribs. His heart has been shifted
from the left to the right SIDE. The dutic!
Of the lower lip are being performed by ors
of wax. One of the bones in his left arm
and another in his right leg have been talk.
en- out. The right knee cap has been turned
completely around and is on the back of thu
knee joint. The greater part of his sku;
IS missing and silver plate has been sub
stituted. Once in q while this plate pressed
on his brain and caused him to have fits.-
Cincinnati Commercial Tribune.