The Sad And Tragic Story Of Joseph Merrick

His name was Joseph Merrick. He was talented, intelligent, but he also had a debilitating disease that earned him the cruel nickname "Elephant Man." Also, he kinda got the "Elephant Man" nickname from his mother. Here's Joseph Merrick's sad story.

Born on August 5, 1862, in Leicester, England, Joseph Carey Merrick was the spitting image of health as a baby. Shortly before he turned 2 however, abnormalities began to appear. The formerly flawless baby now had a bony growth forming on his forehead, a tumor protruding from his upper lip, and discolored, lumpy skin. Unfortunately it was only the beginning.

The limbs on Merrick's right side became disproportionately large, far outgrowing his left arm and leg. He couldn't stand upright because of how curved his spine was, and to make matters worse, a childhood hip injury rendered him permanently lame. Over time, he also developed foul-smelling warts.

Measurements taken when Merrick was in his early 20s showed that one of the fingers had a 5-inch circumference, while his right wrist measured in at a 12-inch circumference. His head measured 3 feet around and was so heavy that his body couldn't accommodate it.

In 1890, Merrick died when he decided to lie down to sleep, as opposed to his usual position of leaning forward with his head on his knees.

Sources differ on the exact cause, but the weight of his cranium either suffocated him or dislocated his neck.

Watch the video for more about The Sad And Tragic Story Of Joseph Merrick.

#JosephMerrick #ElephantMan

A perfect baby | 0:14
Diagnosing the 'Elephant Man' | 1:30
An abusive upbringing | 2:47
The sideshow goes sideways | 4:07
The doctors | 5:05
A very Merrick Christmas | 6:55
The talented man behind it all | 8:28
The Elephant Man's bones | 9:22
Sharing a grave | 11:09

Видео The Sad And Tragic Story Of Joseph Merrick канала Grunge