Joseph MerrickBorn 5 Aug 1862; died 11 Apr 1890 at age 27.Joseph Carey Merrick (the Elephant Man) was an English patient (erroneously referred to as John Merrick) was a disfigured person. Born in Leicester, England, in 1862, Merrick began to develop tumours on his face before his second birthday. His condition quickly worsened as bulbous, cauliflower-like growths grew from his head and body, and his right hand and forearm became a useless club. After a brief career as a professional “freak,” dubbed the “Elephant Man” because of a tusklike growth on his face, he became the best-known resident patient of London Hospital from 1886 until his death. The modern diagnosis (1979) is the very rare disorder, Proteus Syndrome. |
