Saturday, July 10, 2010

Horned Damsels

Madame Dimanche makes you feel really guilty about bemoaning occasional acne flare ups. Born in early 19th century Paris, “The Widow Sunday” grew a dark brown horn resembling an overcooked sausage straight out of her forehead and down past her chin. According to the medical reports, Dimanche’s horn started off as a small wart above her right eyebrow and then just kept on growing.

By the time Dimanche reached the ripe old age of 82, she decided that having a horn on her head wasn’t getting her any dates and had it removed by Dr. Souberbeille. Miraculously, she lived another seven years. How her dating life improved after the cosmetic surgery is left for history to ponder.

Today, A waxed cast of The Window Sunday’s famed horned face can be seen in the Mutter Museum. (shown here)

Sources and Further Reading:
Extracts from the Records, Boston Society for Medical Improvement, Boston, 1853-83.

2 comments:

Heather Carroll said...

The good ol' Mutter museum...some day I'll make it there! I would have had that horn removed earlier just for the fact that it would have made me go crosseyed!

Rosie said...

Thanks for sharing that, ha, ha. Nightmares looming on the horizon. I am amazed she wasn't branded a witch.