The Elephant Man

BY GEORGE NAVA TRUE II

JOSEPH Carey Merrick had a face that only a mother could love. He was a normal child when he was born on August 5, 1862, in Leicester, England. But at 21 months, he began to change.

His lips began to swell, he had a bony lump on his forehead, and his skin became loose and rough. As he grew, the size of his left and right arms differed and his feet became large. By the age of five, Merrick’s thick lumpy skin resembled that of an elephant and almost had the same color too.

The family believed this was caused by a circus elephant that frightened and knocked over Mary Jane Potterton when she was pregnant with Merrick. Maternal impression – the belief that the emotional experiences of a pregnant woman could affect her unborn child – was common at that time and Merrick thought this was the source of his illness.

Too heavy to lie down

Because his enlarged head was too heavy, Merrick couldn’t sleep lying down. Instead, he fell asleep with head resting on his knees. He did this to avoid breaking his neck.  

To make matters worse, Merrick fell during childhood and damaged his left hip. He became lame for the rest of his life because of this. 

Despite his condition, Merrick’s mother, a Sunday school teacher, loved him and the young man attended school. But his happiness was short-lived. Potterton died of bronchopneumonia on May 29, 1873, and his father, Joseph Rockley Merrick, remarried a widow named Mrs. Emma Wood Anthill. 

More deformities

At age 13, Merrick worked in a cigar factory but left after three years when his deformities worsened. He was teased and insulted whenever he went. To support himself, Merrick became a door-to-door salesman, selling haberdashery from his father’s shop. However, he was unsuccessful in this endeavor because people were afraid of him and couldn’t understand what he said.

One day in 1877, Merrick was severely beaten by his father and the young man decided to leave home. When his barber-uncle, Charles Merrick, learned about this, he took his nephew in, but it proved to be a big financial burden, Merrick transferred to a workhouse in 1879 where he got free food and a temporary job, but he wasn’t happy there.

To escape from the workhouse and earn a decent living, Merrick joined a freak show managed by comedian Sam Torr. Torr visited the workhouse and asked Merrick to be a part of his traveling exhibit.

Freak show days

On August 3, 1884, Merrick left the workhouse and traveled throughout London as “The Elephant Man.” Audiences were dismayed and terrified at his appearance but were drawn to the “half-man, half-elephant”: as Merrick was advertised.   

While on display at Whitechapel Road near the London Hospital in November, Merrick met Dr. Frederick Treves, a surgeon who became his close friend. After privately viewing Merrick for 15 minutes in 1883, Treves invited the former to meet his colleagues at the Pathological Society of London and gave Merrick his calling card.

Treves observed that Merrick’s skin was full of warty growths, the biggest of which had a bad odor. His bones in the right arm, both legs, and skull were deformed. He had loose skin that hung from his body, and his speech was difficult to understand.

Proteus syndrome

It wasn’t until 1986 when doctors learned that Merrick had Proteus syndrome (PS), a rare condition where the bones, skin, and other tissues overgrow. Medline Plus said these overgrowths affect the two sides of the body differently. These are usually seen in the bones of the skull, limbs, and spine, but can occur in any part of the body. Overgrowths can also appear in blood vessels and fat.

People with PS have no signs or symptoms at birth, but the disease becomes apparent between the ages of six and 18 months. Medline Plus said affected individuals usually have a long face, eyes with outward corners that point downwards, and a low nose with wide nostrils.

Mutations in the AKT1 gene are responsible for PS. Medline Plus said this mutation is not inherited but occurs randomly in one cell before birth. It causes the cell to grow and divide abnormally leading to the signs of PS. Unfortunately, there is no cure for PS, and treatment is aimed at managing symptoms.

Escape to Europe

When the public began to lose interest in freak shows and police went after its owners, Merrick’s manager brought his attraction to Europe. But it proved to be a bad decision. In Brussels, Merrick was robbed and deserted by his new manager. This forced him to go back to London.

When Merrick arrived there, he had nowhere to go and his only means of identification was Treves’ calling card that he carried wherever he went. Authorities contacted Treves and Merrick was soon back at the London Hospital where he was washed, fed, and treated for bronchitis. Treves found that Merrick’s health had deteriorated during the past two years and he had a heart problem.

Back to the hospital

With the help of the chair of the hospital committee, Francis Carr Gomm, Merrick’s condition was brought to the attention of the public via a letter to The Times and the British Medical Journal. Donations started pouring in and Merrick was allowed to stay in the hospital for the rest of his life. He occupied two rooms in the basement that had a custom bed and furniture, but no mirrors. 

When Treves first examined Merrick years ago, he assumed that the Elephant Man was an imbecile because of his condition. But Merrick proved to be intelligent and a good conversationalist. He would talk for hours with Treves who visited him every Sunday.

To help Merrick feel normal and relieve his boredom and loneliness, the good doctor introduced him to his lady friend. Most women were disgusted or frightened by Merrick’s appearance so Treves contacted a young and pretty widow named Leila Maturin, to visit the Elephant Man.

The meeting was brief but it made a big difference in his life. Merrick said it was the first time a woman smiled at him and shook his hand. This boosted his self-confidence.

Celebrity status

Over time, Merrick became a celebrity of sorts. His condition attracted the rich and famous people of London who supported him and brought him books and photographs. The English actress Dame Madge Kendal was one of Merrick’s “admirers” who helped raise money and public sympathy for him. She also hired a basket weaver to teach Merrick the craft.

With Kendal’s help, Merrick managed to visit the theater and he talked about the Christmas presentation he witnessed for weeks. It was one of the best moments of his life. 

Other admirers were the Prince and Princess of Wales who toured the hospital in 1887 when two new buildings were opened. Princess Alexandra shook Merrick’s hand and sat with him. She sent him a Christmas card every year after that. Merrick enjoyed the attention he was getting and gave his visitors handmade gifts of card models and baskets.   

Last years

During the last years of his life, Merrick traveled to the countryside with Treves on three occasions. He collected wildflowers and befriended a young farm laborer who described Merrick as an interesting and well-educated man.

Over time, Merrick’s deformities worsened and his head grew larger. On April 11, 1890, the Elephant Man was found dead in bed at around 3 p.m. His neck broke from the weight of his head from lying down. Treves concluded that Merrick died when he tried to lie down and sleep like other people. His desire to be normal proved fatal.

Throughout his life, the Elephant Man only wanted to be loved, understood, and enjoy the company of other people. He treasured having friends and doing what other people did. He got his wish even if it killed him.

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National Press Club and Philippine Dental Association awardee George N. True II has written two bestsellers based on his popular column that has been running for almost 40 years. For questions about health, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com./PN