Left Profile of Joseph Merrick ("Elephant Man"), 1886
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2024-05-02T09:22:16+01:00
Wellcome Collection, public domain
Wellcome Collection, public domain
Left profile of Joseph Merrick ("Elephant Man"), etching, 1886, unknown artist; Image source: British Medical Journal, vol. II, 1886, p. 1188, Wellcome Collection http://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0026216.html, public domain.
Joseph Merrick (1862–1890) had a genetic condition which resulted in changes in his skin and bones. Apart from his left hand, the extremities of Merrick's body became disproportionately big, which greatly restricted his capacity to move and speak. He appeared at fairs as the "Elephant Man", until he found a permanent refuge in the London Hospital in 1886.
Left profile of Joseph Merrick ("Elephant Man"), etching, 1886, unknown artist; Image source: British Medical Journal, vol. II, 1886, p. 1188, Wellcome Collection, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/tsqm7c2c, public domain.