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Human beings who suffer from obvious congenital deformities represent a form of monstrosity that is uncomfortable for us to confront on many levels (social, political, psychological, and even critical). This visceral discomfort is indicative of the taboos associated with mutations. The human monster or 'freak,' a result of genetic deviance, has existed for as long as the species itself has (ancient references to monstrosity occur in The Bible in 4 Ezra.5:
"There shall be a confusion also in many places, and the fire shall be oft sent out again, and the wild beasts shall change their places, and menstruous women shall bring forth monsters."
Almost unnoticed, eugenics has progressed in a little more than a century from an aspiration to a reality: few children with genetic abnormalities are allowed to come to term in advanced countries.
General Tom Thumb Aka: Charles Sherwood Stratton, the midget Charles Sherwood Stratton was born Jan. 4, 1838, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Sherwood Edward Stratton, a carpenter, and his wife, Cynthia, "normal" sized adults. In 1842, P. T. Barnum discovered Charles, who measured 25 inches and weighed 15 pounds, only six pounds more than his … Read more
Carl Unthang, the Armless Fiddler Born without arms, he could dress and undress himself, eat with ustensils, swim, and play the violin with his toes. Discovering that people were coming to observe his feet rather than his musical talent, he first left Strauss’s orchestra for a solo career as a human prodigy. He would pour … Read more
Jack Earle, the Texas Giant He joined the Barnum Bailey Circus in the mid-20s and played in about nine movies, mainly comedy like Hansel and Gretel (1923) and Jack and the Beanstalk (1924). Upon retiring from the circus, Jack became a successful traveling salesman and was intensely creative. He painted, sculpted, was a prize-winning … Read more
Lionel, the Lion-Faced Man Stephan Bibrowsky was born in Poland in 1890 to normal parents. He suffered from hypertrichosis, a rare genetic disease that covers the entire bodies of the subjects with a thick coat of fur. Only about 50 cases of the disorder have been documented since the Middle Ages. In the case of … Read more
Lucia Zarate, the Puppet-woman Lucia Zarate was the smallest woman ever recorded. At her birth in 1864 in Mexico, she weighed only eight ounces and was seven inches long. By adulthood she was less than 50 cm tall and weighed less than 2.26 kg, less than a cat. Unlike dwarves, she was normal in … Read more
Le Chevalier d’Eon (1728-1810) He had played a very public role as a diplomat to the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia and later to that of George III in Great Britain. He was a renowned and decorated military hero and also a great charmer. Few knew that he had also worked for "The … Read more
Mary and Elizabeth Chulkhurst, the Biddenden Maids (1100-1134) Born in Biddenden, Kent, Mary and Elizabeth Chulkhurst were Pygopagous twins i.e they were united at the shoulders and hips. One died before the other, who refused to be separated, saying ‘As we came together, we will also go together.’ Their legacy was to be used … Read more
John Merrick aka the ‘Elephant Man‘ is one of the most famous ‘freaks’ that ever lived, due probably, to the fact that behind a body monstrously deformed remained a man, conscious and intelligent enough to understand his misery. "One thing that always struck me as sad about Merrick was the fact that he could not … Read more