Waterbury Democrat

MUSEUM FREAK DEHORNED.

Silver Plate That Had Been Inserted Next to Skull Taken Out.

By the first operation of its kind in the history of surgery, one of the most brutal of the works of a southern quack, or "hoodoo doctor," was removed at the Hospital of the Good Shepherd, Syracuse, N. Y. Drs. E. G. Van Duyn and H. G. Thrall removed a silver plate from a negro's head which had been placed there as a base for a pair of horns.

The patient was Galvin Bird, who through ignorance or superstition had submitted to an inhuman operation at the hands of a certain Georgia man styling himself Dr. John Dada.

The man Dada, according to Bird's story, found the negro in Central America and persuaded him to accompany him to Pearson, Ga., where the alleged doctor administered an anaesthetic, and cutting open the negro's skull, inserted a letter "H" shaped plate, with two prongs on the upper side, which, after the scalp was sewed together, protruded and were used as a fastening for a pair of goat horns. When the wound had healed and the hair had covered these prongs the brute Dada took his victim about the country exhibiting him as "Zara, the Horned Demon."

According to Bird, Dada told him to say nothing about the horns, but somehow the people of Pearson got onto the fact and threatened to lynch the "doctor," who took the negro out of town just a little in advance of several indignant citizens with lynching paraphernalia.

Leaving Georgia the negro was taken to North Carolina and afterward to Tennessee, where a traveling show hired the "doctor" and his improvised freak. The show finally came to Syracuse and Bird was exhibited at Kirk park. Bird here became tired of being a demon and left the show, working at odd jobs about the city until last Tuesday, when he presented himself at the hospital and asked to be "undemonized."

The physicians examined his scalp and told him it would be a very simple operation to remove the plate. Bird told the hospital authorities "Dat he was jest tired of havin' horns and bein' a demon. I like to be jest a plain man," he said. "Dat hoodoo doctah tole me last Chris'mas he was gwine to fix my teef. He's got de evil eye anyhow an' I was skeered so he put me to sleep, and when I woke up my hald felt bad an' I found dese ere horns on it. It was kind o' fun to be a freak for a while, but I'se tiahed of it now. I'se awful feared dat Doctor John will find me."

The anaesthetic was administered to Bird and the negro was brought to the operating room. He is tall, about 28 years of age, with a flat head and apparently lacking in intelligence. Several physicians and students were present to witness the peculiar operation.

The top of the patient's head had been shaven and the screws directly on top of the cranium presented an ugly appearance. The form of the letter H was marked by a little elevation of a peculiar red color. Dr. Van Duyn immediately made an incision in the scalp and drew out the barbarous appliance. It was of a yellowish tarnished appearance and the little screws ingeniously inserted must have caused much pain.

The physicians examined the plate minutely. It was about three inches long by two wide. On each end of the cross line the screws were placed. The wound was then cleaned and sewed together. It is expected to heal in a short time and no bad effects are feared. Dr. Van Duyn stated that he had never read or heard of such an operation before, though, doubtless, many such appliances are used by the horned men in museums.