The Elephant Man

JOSEPH MERRICK, dubbed the "Elephant Man", is one of the most famous patients in history, not just on account of his frightful appearance while he was alive, but also because of the division of opinion amongst the medical establishment after his death over what disease he had suffered from.

Joseph Merrick aka "The Elephant Man"

Mr. Joseph Merrick, aka the Elephant Man, was born on August 5th 1862 - a year after the start of American Civil War - in Leicestershire, Great Britain. His mother was slightly crippled but his brother, was normal. Joseph Merrick's development was normal until age two when small growths began to be noticed on his face, the first signs of a frightful disorder which would transform him into the "Elephant Man".

By the age of seventeen Joseph Merrick, aka the Elephant Man, joined the British labor force working in a menial capacity at a workhouse and left it at twenty-one for greater opportunity with freak shows in 1883. It was here that show promoters dubbed him the "Elephant Man" and created fantastic stories of his origins to attract the public. Three years later in 1886 Joseph Merrick was discovered by doctor Frederick Treves, and through him, eventually gave up life as a sideshow.

Dr. Treves

Joseph Merrick, aka the Elephant Man, was admitted to the Royal London Hospital where he died at twenty-seven of sleep apnea due to the large overgrowth of his head and surrounding tissues which suffocated him as he slept.

Mr. Joseph Merrick's head measured 36 inches - roughly one-third larger than an average human's and a great deal additional weight for his body to support, possibly interfering in his balance and ability to sit or stand for periods without resting his neck.

Elephant Man Rear Bust

Joseph Merrick's -aka the Elephant Man - deformity favored the right side of his body e.g. enlarging his right hand to a flipper like state. We do not have access to audio recordings of him speaking but it is reasonable from looking at photographs to believe that he must have spoken with a severe dysarthritic splutter.

Elephant Man Skull Front	Elephant Man Skull Right Side

Internal structures of Mr. Merrick's - aka the Elephant Man - were no less spared. Toward the end of his life severe arthritis forced him to limp and use a walking stick . In addition, the scoliosis (curvature) of his spine revealed in surviving photographs probably would have reduced his lung capacity predisposing him to shortness of breath and chest infections.

Elephant Man Skeleton

The psychological cost to Mr. Joseph Merrick - aka the Elephant Man - of his disease are not hard to imagine in a society less educated and tolerant than today. Study of his surviving writings prove him to have been of at least normal intelligence and able to appreciate the horror of his condition.

Joseph's Merrick's Handwriting

"Tis true my form is something odd,
But blaming me is blaming God;
Could I create myself anew
I would not fail in pleasing you.
If I could reach from pole to pole
Or grasp the ocean with a span,
I would be measured by the soul;
The mind's the standard of the man."
- Joseph Merrick.

There is a divide amongst Joseph Merrick medical authorities as to just what disease he had actually suffered from. An early theory was that Joseph Merrick had elephantiasis - a disease of blocked sewage vessels in the body - lymphatics - that leads to tissue swelling, but this is not currently in favor. Neurofibromatosis had been a very strong contender for a number of decades until 1976 when a very rare condition called Proteus syndrome was forwarded. Proteus is so rare that less than one hundred cases to date have ever been documented, but it agrees with the 'fossil' evidence left by Mr. Joseph Merrick. It describes overgrowth of soft tissues and bone, sometimes only on one side of the body (hemihypertrophy). Classical neurofibromatosis on the other hand, is a tumorous growth of nerve schwann sheaths (insulated covering like that around copper wiring), and does not readily lend itself to explain Joseph Merrick's bones - aka the Elephant Man.

The Royal London Hospital which used to keep Mr. Joseph Merrick's remains (these have since been buried), had allowed medical sleuths in the past, to take casts, photographs, caliper measurements, and X-rays of Mr. Merrick - aka the Elephant Man. Still, we may never conclusively know what he had suffered from since efforts in years past to preserve his skeleton for us, may have irreparably damaged any DNA forensic scientists could have used for incontrovertible proof. Indeed, some claim that perhaps Joseph Merrick had a unique disease... 'Merrick's Disease'.

Book and Video of the life of The Elephant Man

Jas

2/7/2009 2:31 pm

The story of the Elephat Man is so sad, I feel really sorry for him having to put up with all of that in his life. And that rumour about Michael Jackson wanting the bones is completely false!!

Fanta

29/6/2009 7:05 pm

Did u know what was so odd Michael Jackson wanted the elephant man bones wonder why

wwhiteny

26/6/2009 9:03 am

tis is really sad for this man made fun o f for a medical problem

Danielle

24/6/2009 10:55 am

HEY you are all tite the eliphant man was not a freak he is specail and you can't handle is that he is special

Lola

11/6/2009 3:33 pm

I feel so sad for him since his parents put him in a FREAK SHOW.

tee

10/6/2009 10:53 am

he was a great person he didn't deserve to be treated the way that he did R.I.P mr john merrick u made it through the rough times in your life i love u and i wish that i could have had the oppurtunity to meet u!

Jimmy Story

3/6/2009 9:58 pm

God bless.
R.I.P. Mr.Merrick

Jimmy Story

3/6/2009 9:54 pm

I believe WE take for granted our lives everyday when we mock a person for what their appearance is.The personality is the foundation of every person,the personality is what counts.I know if I where to make fun of these "strange" human
beings and wake one day to only to look like them,i would take back everything I said about them,and value my life more often.

junior

3/6/2009 3:41 pm

unlucky man . cant believe he died at the age of 27 wit a face like dat

Simon

2/6/2009 8:52 pm

i fell so sorri for him because he was a really good man and he had to put up with all of the people that made fun off him the elephant man...:
By your frind Simon

Joseph Merrick

1/6/2009 10:53 pm

I am "The Elephant Man." To everyone who laughed at me I hope you all die in hell and if you are reading this i will come and rape your babies unless you repost this to 9534 different sites.

jessica scragearle

1/6/2009 10:50 pm

the elephant man inspires me to be stronger,
he was so muscly and sexy.
it turned me on

WONDERFUL

27/5/2009 7:35 pm

DIS MAN WAZ A WONDERFUL MAN. PEOPLE FROM 1883 LONG AGO LAUGHED AT HIM WHEN HE WAZ IN A CIRCIS PEOPLE ONLY PAY TO SEE HIM LAUGH AT HIM AND DAT IS SO NOT RIGHT AT ALL DAT IS JUSS BEEN SO SAD LYKE HARD THIS MAN IS A COOL PERSON SO CARE BOUT HIM KK HE ROXS HARD

tinsdy

27/5/2009 7:34 pm

ifell very sorri for u because of what happen

sui

27/5/2009 7:26 pm

that is sad hoe every one laughed at him and stuff but i think he was a great man as people told me! he was always nice and stuff!

Betsy

14/5/2009 8:27 am

This Man was used by Jesus Christ in amazing ways true beaty is within not on the outter apperance

livy

12/5/2009 9:26 am

its not really gd 2 look at but it can happen 2 any1 as his brother developed normal.............
bt it helped me wi ma science project!!!

AYESHA BEHARI

10/5/2009 1:42 pm

I HATE THE ELEPHATN MAN ITS YUKE

AYESHA BEHARI

10/5/2009 1:37 pm

THE BONES LOOKS SO GROSSE BUT THATS WHAT WE GET AND SOME TIMES YOU THINK IT WILL BE SOME THING COOL BUT SOME TIMES IS NOT SO COOL AS YOU THOUGHT IT WILL BE BUT THOUGH IT HELPED ME WITH MY PROJECT

LATTIFA

10/5/2009 1:29 pm

I THINK THIS SITE IS COOL

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Joseph Merrick Bio

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