A BOY LIVING ELEVEN MONTHS IN THE WATER.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 183, 10 January 1877, Page 3

A BOY LIVING ELEVEN MONTHS IN THE WATER.

A physiological phenomenon of r.n unprecedented character has attracted considerable notice from tourists in the Rotorua country. At the outlet of the small warm stream flowing from Lake Rotomahana into Tarawera, several hot water springs occur. In a bath \Vhich receives the overflow from one of these springs, a Maori boy, about thirteen years old, has lived uninterruptedly for eleven months, the whole of his body up to the nock being immersed. The poor little fellow was suffering- from disease of the knee, attended with acute pain, hud was brought to this bath by his parents in the hope of effecting a cure. He found almost instant relief, but upon leaving the bath the pains returned with greater intensity. He then exhibited the strongest reluctance to get out of the water, and wars permitted to remain in it continuously, sitting on the bottom with a support of fern for his head. After a month or two, removal became im|fcssible. When the lad was taken onj/of the bath he suffered the most agony, and became rigid. Upon returning to the bath his pain ceased, and he was able to move about in the water with freedom and ease. He has now remained in this position eleven months. A roof of thatch has been built over him, and his parents supply him with food. The little fellow can speak a few disjointed words of English and asks visitors for bread. He is free from pain, hat has wasted away until his body has become reduced to skin and bone—a living skeleton—lds face, however, still preserving fair proportions. Ho can move Ids limbs veith freedom, and holds up his swollen and blistered knee, which formed the original cause of his trouble for the inspection of visitors. The water in the bath is as hot as can comfortably be borne by a healthy hand, and through remaining stagnant, except iso far as it has been purified by the small overflow, has become cf a dark green colour. The skin of the boy’s hands and other portions of his body have turned a whitish water-worn hue, resembling that produced by soda in warm water. The case is calculated to excite curiosity among medical men.— Auckland Star.