anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第116部分

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inent　medical　journals。　When　he　was　but　a　child　he　was　constantly　tumbling　down；　due　to　the　heads　of　the　femurs　slipping　from　the　acetabula；　but　reduction　was　always　easy。　When　eight　years　old　he　joined　a　company　of　acrobats　and　strolling　performers；　and　was　called　by　the　euphonious　title　of　〃the　Yankee　dish…rag。〃　His　muscular　system　was　well…developed；　and；　like　Sandow；　he　could　make　muscles　act　in　concert　or　separately。

He　could　throw　into　energetic　single　action　the　biceps；　the　supinator　longus；　the　radial　extensors；　the　platysma　myoides；　and　many　other　muscles。　When　he　〃strings；〃　as　he　called　it；　the　sartorius；　that　ribbon　muscle　shows　itself　as　a　tight　cord；　extending　from　the　front　of　the　iliac　spine　to　the　inner　side　of　the　knee。　Another　trick　was　to　leave　flaccid　that　part　of　the　serratus　magnus　which　is　attached　to　the　inferior　angle　of　the　scapula　whilst　he　roused　energetic　contraction　in　the　rhomboids。　He　could　displace　his　muscles　so　that　the　lower　angles　of　the　scapulae　projected　and　presented　the　appearance　historically　attributed　to　luxation　of　the　scapula。

Warren　was　well　informed　on　surgical　landmarks　and　had　evidently　been　a　close　student　of　Sir　Astley　Cooper's　classical　illustrations　of　dislocations。　He　was　able　so　to　contract　his　abdominal　muscles　that　the　aorta　could　be　distinctly　felt　with　the　fingers。　In　this　feat　nearly　all　the　abdominal　contents　were　crowded　beneath　the　diaphragm。　On　the　other　hand；　he　could　produce　a　phantom　abdominal　tumor　by　driving　the　coils　of　the　intestine　within　a　peculiar　grasp　of　the　rectus　and　oblique　muscles。　The　〃growth〃　was　rounded；　dull　on　percussion；　and　looked　as　if　an　exploratory　incision　or　puncture　would　be　advisable　for　diagnosis。

By　extraordinary　muscular　power　and　extreme　laxity　of　his　ligaments；　he　simulated　all　the　dislocations　about　the　hip　joint。　Sometimes　he　produced　actual　dislocation；　hut　usually　he　said　he　could　so　distort　his　muscles　as　to　imitate　in　the　closest　degree　the　dislocations。　He　could　imitate　the　various　forms　of　talipes；　in　such　a　way　as　to　deceive　an　expert。　He　dislocated　nearly　every　joint　in　the　body　with　great　facility。　It　was　said　that　he　could　contract　at　will　both　pillars　of　the　fauces。　He　could　contract　his　chest　to　34　inches　and　expand　it　to　41　inches。

Warren　weighed　150　pounds；　was　a　total　abstainer；　and　was　the　father　of　two　children；　both　of　whom　could　readily　dislocate　their　hips。

In　France　in　1886　there　was　shown　a　man　who　was　called　〃l'homme　protee；〃　or　protean　man。　He　had　an　exceptional　power　over　his　muscles。　Even　those　muscles　ordinarily　involuntary　he　could　exercise　at　will。　He　could　produce　such　rigidity　of　stature　that　a　blow　by　a　hammer　on　his　body　fell　as　though　on　a　block　of　stone。　By　his　power　over　his　abdominal　muscles　he　could　give　himself　different　shapes；　from　the　portly　alderman　to　the　lean　and　haggard　student；　and　he　was　even　accredited　with　assuming　the　shape　of　a　〃living　skeleton。〃　Quatrefages；　the　celebrated　French　scientist；　examined　him；　and　said　that　he　could　shut　off　the　blood　from　the　right　side　and　then　from　the　left　side　of　the　body；　which　feat　he　ascribed　to　unilateral　muscular　action。

In　1893　there　appeared　in　Washington；　giving　exhibitions　at　the　colleges　there　and　at　the　Emergency　Hospital；　a　man　named　Fitzgerald；　claiming　to　reside　in　Harrisburg；　Pa。；　who　made　his　living　by　exhibiting　at　medical　colleges　over　the　country。　He　simulated　all　the　dislocations；　claiming　that　they　were　complete；　using　manual　force　to　produce　and　reduce　them。　He　exhibited　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　pathology　of　dislocations　and　of　the　anatomy　of　the　articulations。　He　produced　the　different　forms　of　talipes；　as　well　as　all　the　major　hip…dislocations。　When　interrogated　as　to　the　cause　of　his　enormous　saphenous　veins；　which　stood　out　like　huge　twisted　cords　under　the　skin　and　were　associated　with　venous　varicosity　on　the　leg；　he　said　he　presumed　they　were　caused　by　his　constantly　compressing　the　saphenous　vein　at　the　hip　in　giving　his　exhibitions；　which　in　some　large　cities　were　repeated　several　times　a　day。

Endurance　of　Pain。The　question　of　the　endurance　of　pain　is；　necessarily；　one　of　comparison。　There　is　little　doubt　that　in　the　lower　classes　the　sensation　of　pain　is　felt　in　a　much　less　degree　than　in　those　of　a　highly　intellectual　and　nervous　temperament。　If　we　eliminate　the　element　of　fear；　which　always　predominates　in　the　lower　classes；　the　result　of　general　hospital　observation　will　show　this　distinction。　There　are　many　circumstances　which　have　a　marked　influence　on　pain。　Patriotism；　enthusiasm；　and　general　excitement；　together　with　pride　and　natural　obstinacy；　prove　the　power　of　the　mind　over　the　body。　The　tortures　endured　by　prisoners　of　war；　religious　martyrs　and　victims；　exemplify　the　power　of　a　strong　will　excited　by　deep　emotion　over　the　sensation　of　pain。　The　flagellants；　persons　who　expiated　their　sins　by　voluntarily　flaying　themselves　to　the　point　of　exhaustion；　are　modern　examples　of　persons　who　in　religious　enthusiasm　inflict　pain　on　themselves。　In　the　ancient　times　in　India　the　frenzied　zealots　struggled　for　positions　from　which　they　could　throw　themselves　under　the　car　of　the　Juggernaut；　and　their　intense　emotions　turned　the　pains　of　their　wounds　into　a　pleasure。　According　to　the　reports　of　her　Majesty's　surgeons；　there　are　at　the　present　time　in　India　native　Brahmins　who　hang　themselves　on　sharp　hooks　placed　in　the　flesh　between　the　scapulae；　and　remain　in　this　position　without　the　least　visible　show　of　pain。　In　a　similar　manner　they　pierce　the　lips　and　cheeks　with　long　pins　and　bore　the　tongue　with　a　hot　iron。　From　a　reliable　source　the　authors　have　an　account　of　a　man　in　Northern　India　who　as　a　means　of　self…inflicted　penance　held　his　arm　aloft　for　the　greater　part　of　each　day；　bending　the　fingers　tightly　on　the　palms。　After　a　considerable　time　the　nails　had　grown　or　been　forced　through　the　palms　of　the　hands；　making　their　exit　on　the　dorsal　surfaces。　There　are　many　savage　rites　and　ceremonies　calling　for　the　severe　infliction　of　pain　on　the　participants　which　have　been　described　from　time　to　time　by　travelers。　The　Aztecs　willingly　sacrificed　even　their　lives　in　the　worship　of　their　Sun…god。

By　means　of　singing　and　dancing　the　Aissaoui；　in　the　Algerian　town　of　Constantine；　throw　themselves　into　an　ecstatic　state　in　which　their　bodies　seem　to　be　insensible　even　to　severe　wounds。　Hellwald　says　they　run　sharp…pointed　irons　into　their　heads；　eyes；　necks；　and　breasts　without　apparent　pain　or　injury　to　themselves。　Some　observers　claim　they　are　rendered　insensible　to　pain　by　self…induced　hypnotism。

An　account　by　Carpenter　of　the　Algerian　Aissaoui　contained　the　following　lucid　description　of　the　performances　of　these　people：

〃The　center　of　the　court　was　given　up　to　the　Aissaoui。　These　were　12　hollow…checked　men；　some　old　and　some　young；　who　sat　cross…legged　in　an　irregular　semicircle　on　the　floor。　Six　of　them　had　immense　flat　drums　or　tambours；　which　they　presently　began　to　beat　noisily。　In　front　of　them　a　charcoal　fire　burned　in　a　brazier；　and　into　it　one　of　them　from　time　to　time　threw　bits　of　some　sort　of　incense；　which　gradually　filled　the　place　with　a　thin　smoke　and　a　mildly　pungent　odor。

〃For　a　long　timeit　seemed　a　long　timethis　went　on　with　nothing　to　break　the　silence　but　the　rhythmical　beat　of　the　drums。　Gradually；　however；　this　had　become　quicker；　and　now　grew　wild　and　almost　deafening；　and　the　men　began　a　monotonous　chant　which　soon　was　increased　to　shouting。　Suddenly　one　of　the　men　threw　himself　with　a　howl　to　the　ground；　when　he　was　seized　by　another；　who　stripped　him　of　part　of　his　garments　and　led　him　in　front　of　the　fire。　Here；　while　the　pounding　of　the　drums　and　the　shouts　of　the　men　became　more　and　more　frantic；　he　stood　swaying　his　body　backward　and　forward；　almost　touching　the　ground　in　his　fearful　contortions；　and　wagging　his　head　until　it　seemed　as　if　he　must　dislocate　it　from　his　shoulders。　All　at　once　he　drew　from　the　fire　a　red…hot　bar　of　iron；　and　with　a　yell　of　horror；　which　sent　a　shiver　down　one's　back；　held　it　up　before　his　eyes。　More　violently　than　ever　he　swayed　his　body　and　wagged　his　head；　until　he　had　worked　himself　up　to　a　climax　of　excitement；　when　he　passed　the　glowing　iron　several　times　over　the　palm　of　each　hand　and　then　licked　it　repeatedly　with　his　tongue。　He　next　took　a　burning　coal　from　the　fire；　and；　placing　it　between　his　teeth；　fanned　it　by　his　breath　into　a　white　heat。　He　ended　his　part　of　the　performance　by　treading　on　red…hot　coals　scattered　on　the　floor　after　which　he　resumed　his　place　with　the　rest。　Then　the　next　performer　with　a　yell　as　before；　suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet　and　began　again　the　same　frantic　contortions；　in　the　midst　of　which　he　snatched　from　the　fire　an　iron　rod　with　a　ball　on　one　end；　and　after　winding　one　of　his　eyelids　around　it　until　the　eyeball　was　completely　exposed；　he　thrust　its　point　in　behind　the　eye；　which　was　forced　far　out　on　his　cheek。　It　was　held　there　for　a　moment　when　it　was　withdrawn；　the　eye　released；　and　then　rubbed　vigorously　a　few　times　with　the　balled　end　of　the　rod。

〃The　drums　all　the　time　had　been　beaten　lustily；　and　the　men　had　kept　up　their　chant；　which　still　went　unceasingly　on。　Again　a　man　sprang　to　his　feet　and　went　through　the　same　horrid　motions。　This　time　the　performer　took　from　the　fire　a　sharp　nail　and；　with　a　piece　of　the　sandy　limestone　common　to　this　region；　proceeded　with　a　series　of　blood…curdling　howls　to　hammer　it　down　into　the　top　of　his　head；　where　it　presently　stuck　upright；　while　he　tottered　dizzily　around　until　it　was　pulled　out　with　apparent　effort　and　with　a　hollow　snap　by　one　of　the　other　men。

〃The　performance　had　now　fairly　begun；　and；　with　short　intervals　and　always　in　the　same　manner；　the　frenzied　contortions　first；　another　ate　up　a　glass　lamp…chimney；　which　he　first　broke　in　pieces　in　his　hands　and　then　crunched　loudly　with　his　teeth。　He　then　produced　from　a　tin　box　a　live　scorpion；　which　ran　across　the　floor　with　tail　erect；　and　was　then　allowed　to　attach　itself　to　the　back　of　his　hand　and　his　face；　and　was　finally　taken　into　his　mouth；　where　it　hung　suspended　from　the　inside　of　his　cheek　and　was　finally　chewed　and　swallowed。　A　sword　was　next　produced；　and　after　the