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ch there is an enormous growth of fat； sometimes limited； sometimes spread all over the body； this condition differing from that of general lipomatosis in its rarity； in the mental symptoms； in the headache； and the generally painful condition complained of。 In some of the cases examined by Dercum he found that the thyroid was indurated and infiltrated by calcareous deposits。 The disease is not myxedema because there is no peculiar physiognomy； no spade…like hands nor infiltrated skin； no alteration of the speech； etc。 Dercum considers it a connective… tissue dystrophya fatty metamorphosis of various stages； possibly a neuritis。 The first of Dercum's cases was a widow of Irish birth； who died both
alcoholic and syphilitic。 When forty…eight or forty…nine her arms began to enlarge。 In June； 1887； the enlargement affected the shoulders ；arms； back； and sides of the chest。 The parts affected were elastic； and there was no pitting。 In some places the fat was lobulated； in others it appeared as though filled with bundles of worms。 The skin was not thickened and the muscles were not involved。 In the right arm there was unendurable pain to the touch； and this was present in a lesser degree in the left arm。 Cutaneous sensibility was lessened。 On June 13th a chill was followed by herpes over the left arm and chest； and later on the back and on the front of the chest。 The temperature was normal。 The second case was a married Englishwoman of sixty…four。 The enlarged tissue was very unevenly distributed； and sensibility was the same as in the previous case。 At the woman's death she weighed 300 pounds； and the fat over the abdomen was three inches thick。 The third case was a German woman in whom were seen soft； fat…like masses in various situations over either biceps； over the outer and posterior aspect of either arm； and two large masses over the belly； there was excessive prominence of the mons veneris。 At the autopsy the heart weighed 8 1/2 ounces； and the fat below the umbilicus was seven inches thick。
Abnormal Leanness。In contrast to the fat men are the so…called 〃living skeletons；〃 or men who have attained notice by reason of absence of the normal adipose tissue。 The semimythical poet Philotus was so thin that it was said that he fastened lead on his shoes to prevent his being blown away；a condition the opposite of that of Dionysius of Heraclea； who； after choking to death from his fat； could hardly be moved to his grave。
In March； 1754； there died in Glamorganshire of mere old age and gradual decay a little Welshman； Hopkin Hopkins； aged seventeen years。 He had been recently exhibited in London as a natural curiosity； he had never weighed over 17 pounds； and for the last three years of his life never more than 12 pounds。 His parents still had six children left； all of whom were normal and healthy except a girl of twelve； who only weighed 18 pounds and bore marks of old age。
There was a 〃living skeleton〃 brought to England in 1825 by the name of Claude Seurat。 He was born in 1798 and was in his twenty…seventh year。 He usually ate in the course of a day a penny roll and drank a small quantity of wine。 His skeleton was plainly visible； over which the skin was stretched tightly。 The distance from the chest to the spine was less than 3 inches； and internally this distance was less。 The pulsations of the heart were plainly visible。 He was in good health and slept well。 His voice was very weak and shrill。 The circumference of this man's biceps was only 4 inches。 The artist Cruikshank has made several drawings of Seurat。
Calvin Edson was another living skeleton。 In 1813 he was in the army at the battle of Plattsburg； and had lain down in the cold and become benumbed。 At this time he weighed 125 pounds and was twenty…five years old。 In 1830 he weighed but 60 pounds； though 5 feet 4 inches tall。 He was in perfect health and could chop a cord of wood without fatigue； he was the father of four children。
Salter speaks of a man in 1873 who was thirty…two years of age and only weighed 49 pounds。 He was 4 feet 6 inches tall： his forehead measured in circumference 20 1/2 inches and his chest 27 inches。 His genitals； both internal and external； were defectively developed。 Figure 175 represents the well…known Ohio 〃living skeleton；〃 J。 W。 Coffey； who has been exhibited all over the Continent。 His good health and appetite were proverbial among his acquaintances。
In some instances the so…called 〃living skeletons〃 are merely cases of extreme muscular atrophy。 As a prominent example of this class the exhibitionist； Rosa Lee Plemons at the age of eighteen weighed only 27 pounds。 Figure 177 shows another case of extraordinary atrophic condition of all the tissues of the body associated with nondevelopment。 These persons are always sickly and exhibit all the symptoms of progressive muscular atrophy； and cannot therefore be classed with the true examples of thinness； in which the health is but slightly affected or possibly perfect health is enjoyed。
CHAPTER VIII。
LONGEVITY。
Scope of the Present Article。The limits of space in this work render impossible a scientific discussion upon the most interesting subject of longevity； and the reader is referred to some of the modern works devoted exclusively to this subject。 In reviewing the examples of extreme age found in the human race it will be our object to lay before the reader the most remarkable instances of longevity that have been authentically recorded； to cite the source of the information； when possible to give explanatory details； and to report any relative points of value and interest。 Throughout the article occasional facts will be given to show in what degree character； habit； and temperament influence longevity； and in what state of mind and body and under what circumstances man has obtained the highest age。
General Opinions。There have been many learned authorities who invariably discredit all accounts of extraordinary age； and contend that there has never been an instance of a man living beyond the century mark whose age has been substantiated by satisfactory proof。 Such extremists as Sir G。 Cornewall Lewis and Thoms contend that since the Christian era no person of royal or noble line mentioned in history whose birth was authentically recorded at its occurrence has reached one hundred years。 They have taken the worst station in life in which to find longevity as their field of observation。 Longevity is always most common in the middle and lower classes； in which we cannot expect to find the records preserved with historical correctness。
The Testimony of Statistics。Walford in his wonderful 〃Encyclopedia of Insurance〃 says that in England the 〃Royal Exchange〃 for a period of one hundred and thirty…five years had insured no life which survived ninety…six。 The 〃London Assurance〃 for the same period had no clients who lived over ninety； and the 〃Equitable〃 had only one at ninety…six。 In an English Tontine there was in 1693 a person who died at one hundred； and in Perth there lived a nominee at one hundred and twenty…two and another at one hundred and seven。 On the other hand； a writer in the Strand Magazine points out that an insurance investigator some years ago gather