Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-11
TEACHING ]. c. R. to-
REVEAL IDENTITY
Physicians Developing Brain
Cells of Man of Mystery
TO Recall Name.

ROCHESTER,. Mimi. July H.
Enough memory cells in the brain
Of u. c. R." the man of mystery
may regain their normal activity.
the physicians now believe, to enable
him to recall his past.
They hope to teach him to speak
and then. by gradually strengthen
ing his atrophied mental powers, to
discover whether or not he is Lieu
tenant Jacob c. Rostrom, U. S. N.
Recently Dr.eE. H. Beckman. of
the Mayo Hospital staff assisted by
| other eminent surgeons, made an
X-ray examination. While this re-
vealed that there was no fracture of
the skull, II was thought there might
be a blood eiot on the brain, so last
| Saturday an operation was per-
formed.
The operation was considered sue
cessful, but the surgeons found such
degenerate condition of the brain
cells that only slight hope is held
out that u. c. r." will ever regain
his normal faculties. However, there
is just a chance.
I'VE expect no sudden change or
sensational return of memory" said
DIR. O. G. Hyerdale, flrst assistant
superintendent of the hospital. What
the outcome will be is problem
atical. A part of the memory cells
of the brain have been destroyed by
degeneration. but there is a POSSIBLE
! ity that there are sufficient cells re-
naming to restore the memory in
part, at least. This. however, only
time will develop. and it will require
many weeks before we can tell
whether or not there will be a sat
isfactory result"
IL possible, the hospital authorities
win teach the man to talk. With
the large cist removed there is as
surance that the degeneration of the
brain area will not increase and the
remainder of the brain is unim-
paired. He can therefore be taught
to speak as child is taught, it Is
believed. With the power of articu-
lation it is thought that he may be
able to tell some of the facts of his
life. which now he can communicate
only by motions, and those very
vaguely.
-. c. r." is not insane and has
never been. He was picked up on
the station platform at Waseca,
Mimi. one night in June. 1907. How
he got there no one knows. His
right side from his temple to his
foot was paralyzed. He could not say
word. He could not make persons
understand him by gestures nor
could he understand anything that
was said to him.
He was a public charge and as
such was cared for by the county.
Arrangements were made for him to
live with German family. He was
attended by DR.. w. A. Chamberlain.
but his case baffled the physician.
DIR. Chamberlain gave UP hope of his
recovery and on April "a. 1908, he
was taken to the Rochester asylum.
At the hospital he has always had
his liberty. He Is what is known as
an observation patient who can be
trusted.
To see u. c. r." once is to remem-
Der him. Although he cannot talk,
he asks questions, as it were, with
his large intelligent brown eyes,
which haunt one with their pitiful en-
treaty. He is about medium height
His black hair, which is brushed we'll
off his forehead, is tinged with gray.
He is apparently about As years of
age Without his can he has diff
Guilty in walking.
Still ~. c. r." is now able to make
himself partially understood. BY con-
tinual pointings to a map he gave the
hospital surgeons the impression that
he was the son of an admiral and
had been an officer himself. He also
indicated a spot near Baltimore as
his home. Repeated inquiries to the
naval department and Baltimore au-
thorities brought many replies, but
none which would fit the case of u.
C. r." except the identification made
by Edward Vogt, of Newark, N. j.
Vogt saw a picture of the man of
mystery in the Newark Evening Star
and said that he was positive it was
that of Lieutenant Jacob c. Rostrom,
a naval officer under whom he served
In the Spanish American War.
The only thing -. c. r." can write
are his own initials. Yet he does not
seem to think at times that those are
his initials, although they were found
on his clothing. When asked about 1t
| ne RUBBED the injured sue VI MS
head and looked puzzled.
This strange man has been favor
lite at the hospital. He has fully real
lied his condition, but not for one
moment does he permit himself to be-
come morbid. He has winning
smile. which Eliminates his whole
countenance, but his face in repose is
pathetic.
The surgeons were able to make 1t
known to him what they intended to
do, and by gestures y. c. r." in
formed them that he welcomed the
operation.
He went upon the operating table
on Saturday with a smile on his face.
His skull was opened and large area
of degenerated brain cells. covering
the centres of speech and memory,
were revealed. An unusually large
cyst containing fluid was removed.
DR. Beckman, who operated, an
nounced this indicated a previous
hemorrhage of the brain. which has
been the result Of a stroke of apcp-
lexy or an injury inflicted upon the