Self | History | Non-fiction
Man Born With Dwarfism and Gigantism At The Same Time
The true story of Adam Rainer.
There’s one thing about living in the past that always makes me shudder.
The medical care.
I look back on every medical intervention I’ve had — and imagine not having them.
My wisdom teeth would be compounding into my jaw and teeth.
My teeth would be rotting and falling out.
Rather than getting a tumor removed from my neck, it would have grown unabated. A giant baseball-sized tumor would be under my skin by now.
Scratch that — none of this would have happened: my mother would have died in childbirth. I was 10 lbs and born via c-section.
But this story isn’t about me. It’s about one of the most unusual, extraordinary, and rare medical cases you’ll ever encounter.
1899: From very little, to enormous
Adam Rainer was born in the rolling green mountain hills of Gratz, Austria. His parents were working class and normal-sized.
At his birth, the doctor noted his unusual appearance.
