Joseph Merrick : The Elephant Man
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Did Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, suffer from Elephantiasis, Neurofibromatosis or really Proteus Syndrome? What do you know about the Elephant Man?
But, could there be still another explanation? Read on to learn more as I've added additional information including Paul Spring's diagnosis.
I've written a few articles about Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, and Elephantiasis as I've always had a distinct curiosity about health topics. How thankful we surely must be when our child is born healthy, free of any such health conditions.
Let's celebrate life and good health! Let's celebrate the LIFE and dignity of Mr. Joseph Merrick >>> Did Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, suffer from Elephantiasis, Neurofibromatosis or really Proteus Syndrome?
Joseph Merrick : The Elephant Man was originally created on January 9, 2008.
Contents at a Glance
Cast your vote -- Heard of Joseph Merrick?
Did you know the name of the Elephant Man?
Deformity at early age ...
Merrick mentions that his
deformity began developing
at the age of three with
small bumps appearing on
the left side of his body.
Paul Spring Diagnosis of Joseph Merrick the Elephant Man
So what was the disease of Joseph Merrick ???
Paul Spiring, a biologist based in the Netherlands, has spanned the dichotomous divide in his solution to the mystery of Joseph Merrick, the so-called Elephant Man.Merrick, who had been born in Leicester in 1862, came to the attention of the medical profession in 1886, when he was rescued from a freak show by the distinguished physician Sir Frederick Treves.
From the age of five, Merrick's body had become progressively disfigured by abnormal skin and bone development. The cause has never been identified. For many years, the leading explanation was a disease known as neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1), a genetic condition capable of causing some of Merrick's symptoms. During the mid-1980s another diagnosis emerged: Proteus Syndrome, an extremely rare tissue-distorting genetic disease first identified in the late 1970s. Extensive studies of Merrick's skeleton - still preserved at the London Hospital - have failed to rule either explanation in or out.
Mr Spiring has now suggested a simple resolution of the mystery: both explanations are correct. He points out that NF-1 and Proteus Syndrome each explain some of Merrick's symptoms; in combination, they also explain the singular nature of his condition. NF-1 occurs in about one in 2,500 births, while Proteus Syndrome affects about one in 9 million, so assuming the conditions are independent, these figures imply that we should expect one case of combined NF-1/Proteus Syndrome every 22.5 billion births. No wonder doctors were so baffled by Merrick's symptoms.
Mr Spiring's explanation has the ring of truth. Frustratingly, however, his calculations also mean we must wait at least another 200 years before seeing a second Elephant Man by which to verify his intriguing suggestion. --www.telegraph.co.uk.
1986 Diagnosis: Proteus syndrome
It was postulated in 1986 that Merrick actually suffered from Proteus syndrome (a condition which had been identified by Michael Cohen seven years earlier).
1971 Diagnosis: Neurofibromatosis
In 1971, Ashley Montagu suggested in his book The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity that Merrick suffered from neurofibromatosis type I, a genetic disorder also known as von Recklinghausen's disease.
The Elephant Man, movie
![The Elephant Man [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21WWCSWM4ML._SL160_.jpg)
The Elephant Man [VHS]
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 02/17/2012)
You could only see his eyes behind the layers of makeup, but those expressive orbs earned John Hurt a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of John Merrick, the grotesquely deformed Victorian-era man better known as The Elephant Man. Inarticulate and abused, Merrick is the virtual slave of a carnival barker (Freddie Jones) until dedicated London doctor Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins in a powerfully understated performance) rescues him from the life and offers him an existence with dignity. Anne Bancroft costars as the actress whose visit to Merrick makes him a social curiosity, with John Gielgud and Wendy Hiller as dubious hospital staffers won over by Merrick.
David Lynch earned his only Oscar nominations as director and cowriter of this somber drama, which he shot in a rich black-and-white palette, a sometimes stark, sometimes dreamy visual style that at times recalls the offbeat expressionism of his first film, Eraserhead. It remains a perfect marriage between traditional Hollywood historical drama and Lynch's unique cinematic eye, a compassionate human tale delivered in a gothic vein. The film earned eight Oscar nominations in all, and though it left the Oscar race empty-handed, its dramatic power and handsome yet haunting imagery remain just as strong today. --Sean Axmaker
The Elephant Man books
The buzz on Joseph Merrick
- Harrell Theatre presents story of Merrick, 'The Elephant Man'
- The play is based on the real-life story of Joseph Merrick, who spent his life as a well-known member...
- Coffman actors ready for challenging 'Elephant Man'
- The Elephant Man recounts the true-life story of Joseph Merrick, a late 19-century English man put in...
- A Bafta for Shirebrook’s John Hurt for Hurt
- In 1980 he gave perhaps his best known international performance as Joseph Merrick - a man born with...
- Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson under fire for 'facial growth' comments
- Slurring his speech to mimic the disfigured Victorian Joseph Merrick, famously dubbed the Elephant Man,...
Elephantiasis of the Ankles
Woman with Elephantiasis
More lenses on Elephantiasis
The disease responsible for his appearance ...
Drop me a line -- Did you know about Joseph Merrick?
Have you seen the movie the Elephant Man about Joseph Merrick?
Had you heard about Joseph Merrick before? Seen the movie, The Elephant Man?
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Ladymermaid
Dec 9, 2010 @ 4:32 pm | delete
- Very well done...you never disappoint me on a topic. Wishing you a merry little Christmas season and a fantastic New Year :)
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kansasww
Oct 3, 2010 @ 11:08 am | delete
- Love the lens,a wonderful movie everyone should take the time to see and really think about.
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Ann
Jul 10, 2010 @ 10:59 am | delete
- I have been an admirer of this lovely and gentle man for a long while, and I am always interested in anything new about him. Two things though always really annoy me : that of the obsession still for what his disease was, and that the poor man is still called the EM. I wish people would think more about the man himself. He was like everyone else, with dreams and a longing to be loved. He had an appreciation for music and literature. I wish that one day soon the whole arguement of his disease is settled once and for all, and his remains laid to rest at last. And that he is called JUST by his his own and beautiful name.
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Greekgeek
Jun 10, 2010 @ 11:10 pm | delete
- I'm ashamed to say I'm afraid to see the film for fear of nightmares.
The story of Joseph Merrick has always rung a painful chord for me. I came off relatively easily from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and even that was a challenge-- something like this is just too much for a person to bear. And yet people bear it.
My best friend in physical therapy had such severe bone distortion from her JRA that she still had the jaw of an infant and assorted other problems. She was so brave!
Anyway, I was just coming to learn more about Joseph Merrick because, despite knowing his story, I didn't really know what he has.
Thanks for these fascinating lenses on a difficult subject!
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AndyPo
Jun 30, 2009 @ 7:38 am | delete
- Excellent lens. Very interesting. The film is very good too.
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About the Author JaguarJulie
So very curious about Joseph Merrick and other elephant men! My heart goes out to them.
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Joseph Merrick : The Elephant Man was originally created on January 9, 2008.
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A Study in Human Dignity
The Elephant Man : A Study in Human Dignity
Amazon Price: $9.06 (as of 02/17/2012)
Read the True Story
The True History of the Elephant Man: The Definitive Account of the Tragic and Extraordinary Life of Joseph Carey Merrick
Amazon Price: $7.59 (as of 02/17/2012)
Catch the Movie: The Elephant Man
![Elephant Man [Import]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fXWkfAO1L._SL160_.jpg)
Elephant Man [Import]
Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 02/17/2012)
