Julia Pastrana | |
|---|---|
 Lithograph of Julia Pastrana by V. Katzler circa 1860 | |
| Born | August 1834 |
| Died | 25 March 1860 (age 25) |
| Other names | Bear Woman, The Apewoman, The Nondescript |
| Height | 4 ft 5 in (1.35 m) |
| Spouse |
Theodore Lent (m. 1855) |
| Children | 1 son |
Julia Pastrana (August 1834 – 25 March 1860) was a performer and singer during the 19th century who had hypertrichosis. Pastrana, an indigenous woman from Mexico, was born in 1834, somewhere in the state of Sinaloa.[1] She was born with a genetic condition, hypertrichosis terminalis (or generalized hypertrichosis lanuginosa[2]); her face and body were covered with straight black hair. Her ears and nose were unusually large, and her teeth were irregular. The latter condition was caused by a rare disease, undiagnosed in her lifetime, gingival hyperplasia, which thickened her lips and gums.[2]
- ^ Lerma Garay, Antonio. Érase una vez en Mazatlán. Comisión para la Celebración del Bicentenario de la Independencia y Centenario de la Revolución. Culiacán. 2010.
- ^ a b Wilson, Charles (February 11, 2013). "An Artist Finds a Dignified Ending for an Ugly Story". New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2013.