Julia Pastrana and Her Tribe

 Julia Pastrana (circa 1832-1860)

   

During the late 1980s I was researching Julia Pastrana, who I had first learned about upon reading one of Frederick Drimmer's books.  I was curious to see what further information was available and obtained photocopies of some of the printed materials about Julia that had been made at the time of her public appearances during the mid-nineteenth century.  I featured the first portion of a Boston playbill in a previous blog article and similar information appears in the Worcester flyer (presented below) that provides a brief account of her life until then.  The Boston playbill also reported about Julia: "She has a thick, heavy skull, and half an inch of flesh over it; a small brain, well-proportioned and capable of being cultivated and improved, like a child's eight years old.  Her disposition is mild and childish."
 
Upon becoming acquainted with this information, I recalled some of the accounts of strange beings and tribes presented in Ivan T. Sanderson's Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come To Life (1961).  Sanderson's book was presented as "The Story of Sub-Humans on Five Continents from the Early Ice Age Until Today."  Central America testimonials presented in the book include a report from a resident of "the outer periphery of the Mexican state of Chiapas" about a form of 'ABSM' or 'Bigfoot' in nearby forests known locally by such names as Salvaje, Cax-vinic, or simply fantasma humano.  There is also a description by people living in the vicinity of Gautemala's Baja Verapaz, around the town of Cubulco: "There live in the mountain forests very big, wild men, completely clothed in short, thick, brown, hairy fur, with no necks, small eyes, long arms and huge hands.  They leave footprints twice the length of a man's."  Cases in this chapter include two anecdotes of women being captured by a similar being known as a Sisemite.  Sanderson also reported that people living or working in the southern forested area of British Honduras (now Belize) associated sightings of "small semi-human creatures" sometimes associated with the expression Dwendis.  The chapter concludes with the statements: "We are, in fact, once again confronted with the strange fact that great numbers of people of all manners of tribes, nationalities, and even races, insist that ABSMs are wild men, as opposed to manlike animals.  This is one theme that runs consistently through all ABSMery."  Sanderson also wrote about 'man-things' in the books "Things" (1967) and More "Things" (1969).
 
Visiting the British Library in London in August 1989, I found some more details about Julia Pastrana's life.  I eventually wrote a screenplay about Julia and the man who married her, Theodore Lent.  I was working on finding a producer for this screenplay (among others I'd written) at the time I traveled to Oklahoma to interview a family experiencing what had been described as a 'talking poltergeist' case.  Among those who expressed a favorable response to the screenplay about Julia was a co-producer of the movie "Fire In The Sky" and the president of marketing for Paramount Pictures, where I was working as a publicist at the time.  As readers of my case study Testament know, soon after my trip to Oklahoma I relinquished all of my previous writing projects.

Here follows accounts of the life of Julia Pastrana as presented in two original brochures publicizing her 'levees' (appearances for a public assembly) in the 1850s.
 
First, the following information is presented here precisely as it was worded in this Worcester advertisement.

 

 

T H E   O P A T E   I N D I A N S .

 

These remarkable beings inhabit the Sierra Madre Mountains in the State of Sinaloa, near California.  They live in caves, in a naked state, and subsist on grass, roots, insects, barks of trees, &c.  They have a great many tamed animals, such as Bears, Monkeys, Squirrels, &c., which they know no difference between and themselves.  Their face and whole person is covered with a thick black hair, and their features have a close resemblance to those of a Bear and Ourang Outang.  Their mouths are elongated, with very thick double lips.  They have no front upper teeth, but a strong jaw to masticate nuts or any hard substance, much like a brute.  Their stature is from three to four feet, and they weigh from eighty to ninety pounds.  They have intellect, and are endowed with speech, which no monsters have ever possessed.  They have always been reported by travelers as a species of Ape or Babboon, having no intellect.  Their dispositions are very much of the Monkey order, very spiteful and hard to govern.  This tribe of beings have always been looked upon as forming a kind of link between the man and the brute creation, and this singular Hairy Woman will go far to prove that philosophy which establishes the perfect order and graduation to be found in all animated Nature.  She is in some respects an exception to her tribe, as she is much larger, and has no hair on her bosom, hands and feet, and human nature seems to predominate.  She is 22 years old, four feet six inches high, and weighs 112 pounds.  No description of her could be given so minute, as to be at all satisfactory.  The public are, therefore, respectfully invited to call and see and judge for themselves, and all will be perfectly satisfied that there is no imposture attempted by her exhibition.
 
In 1829 several women went up from Copala, (a little town just at the edge of the mountains,) to a small pond above, on the side of the mountain, to bathe, after their custom; on their returning home they missed Mrs. Espinosa, one of their companions; all endeavors to find her proved fruitless, and it was believed that she was drowned, until six years afterwards a Ranchero, who was hunting for his cattle on the mountain, heard a voice in a cave, which he took to be a Mexican woman.  He went down to Copala and got a company of men, who went up and surrounded the cave, and by great stratagem succeeded in recovering Mrs. Espinosa.  She stated that she had lost her way, and had wandered to the top of the mountain, when she fell into the hands of these Indians, who had ever since kept her shut up in this cavern.  She expressed a great liking for this child, which was then about two years old; she having nursed her from her infancy.  Her mother died when she was only a few days old.
 
Mrs. Espinosa took her home, had her christened, gave her the name of Julia Pastrana, and made her husband godfather, and herself godmother to her.  A few years after they removed to Durango, and gave Julia to Pedro Sauchez, Governor of the state of Sinaloa.  She remained in his family until April, 1854, when finding no happiness there in consequence of their bad treatment, she left home, resolved to go to the mountains again, when M. Rates met with her in the woods adjoining Copala, and induced her to go to the United States with him for exhibition.  He got his friend, F. Sepulveda, who now accompanies her, to go with her to protect her and return her again to her guardian Gov. Sauchez.  They arrived at New Orleans in Oct., 1854, and went directly to New York, to Mr. Barnum, with whom they expected to make an engagement, but the cold weather not agreeing with them they returned to New Orleans, where they arrived on the first of February, 1855.  Here her exhibition commenced under the management of J. W. Beach.

 

 

The following information is presented here precisely as it was worded in a text chronicling Julia's life after her London engagement at the Regent Gallery: Account of Miss Pastrana, The Nondescript; and the Double-Bodied Boy.  In this periodical also, statements about Julia's tribe arouse many questions.

 

There are two remarkable exhibitions at the present time in London, whose objects are of a conformation so wonderful that they may well startle all who go to see them.  As only a small proportion of the vast population of this great metropolis, and the country around have been to view those extraordinary natural curiosities, but who should as early as possibly pay them a visit, we, to induce them to do so, will lay before them all the interesting facts concerning their history, habits, and physiological nature that we possess.  In due order, therefore, we will first call our reader's attention to the annexed advertisement in the newspapers of the day:—
 
THE NONDESCRIPT, MISS JULIA PASTRANA.—This young lady, the wonder of the world, supposed by eminent naturalists and Physicians to be a hybrid, wherein the nature of woman predominates over the Ourang-Outangs is very singular; her Nose, Forehead, and entire Face, Shoulders, Arms, &c., are covered with Thick Black Hair.  She has no Pupil apparent in the Eye, no Cartilage in the Nose, with double gums in the upper and lower jaw, and only One Row of Front Teeth.  The Lower Jaw is much extended, and the angle of the face is very singular.  Miss Julia Speaks and Sings in English and Spanish, and dances the Highland Fling, Schottish, &c., &c., and has decidedly the prettiest little Hands, Feet, and Ankles, in London.  Levees, from Eleven to One, Three to Five, and Eight to Ten Daily, at the Regent Gallery, 69, Quadrant.  Admission, 1s. and 2s., Stalls 3s.  Miss Julia is pleased when the Ladies and Gentlemen ask her Questions, and examine her pretty Whiskers, of which she is very proud.
 
Being earnest enquirers after truth, ever prone to investigate the phenomena of nature, animal, vegetable, or physical, and consequently among the first to be attracted to by such an announcement, we accordingly struck work, threw down our implements of trade, donned our best attire, shut up shop, and hurried off as fast as the "marrow-bone stage" could carry us, the very first evening after we perused it; and when arrived at the Regent Gallery, with great difficulty, amidst anxious crowds of sight-seers, elbowed our way in, to take a peep at the Extraordinary Lady just imported from the regions of wonder.
 
Language fails us, when we attempt to depict the mingled sensations that filled our minds, at even a first sight of Miss Julia Pastrana.  A closer inspection struck us with awe; a lengthened interview created astonishment unbounded; and a minute examination, compared with the printed history of her in our hands, which we purchased there, including an intense attention to her various entertaining performances (referred to in the above advertisement), so inspired us with amazement and delight, that, "Strangely-formed Being!"—"Singular-looking Creature!"—"Wonderful Curiosity of Nature!" and other ejaculation manifesting the excitement we were under, involuntarily escaped from our lips, and which were no sooner overheard by the spectators nearest to us, but they were caught up and responded in a similar strain by every lady and gentleman present; so extraordinary and fearfully wonderfully they deemed the "Nonedescript," that their eyes feasted upon.  (She has since left London for the Provinces). 
 
That the bulk of our readers should hasten to see this "world's wonder," before she leaves these islands, we introduce the following extracts from the history mentioned, which we doubt not will remove any lukewarmness or hesitation in respect to Julia Pastrana they may now possess:—
 
"Before proceeding to give an account of the origin, nationality, and peculiar characteristics of Julia Pastrana, the 'Nondescript,' it will be proper to make some general allusion to a race of savages, known by the common term of the Root Digger Indians of Mexico."
 
There are tribes called Shoshonees or Snakes, and Utahs.  Some are dark like Africans, others have a copper-coloured or bright yellow complexion, like that of Mulattos.  "These Indians have aquiline noses, long hair on their heads, well-shaped feet, and speak different languages, although they subsist on the same kind of food.  They are scattered over a wide extent of country, from Oregon to the Gulf of California, and throughout the territories of Utah and New Mexico.  Near the Gulph of California, a tribe of these Indians is found who live in caves, in a naked state, and subsist on grass, roots, bark of trees, &c.; they eat no animal food!  They have a great many tamed animals, such as bears, monkeys, squirrels, &c., between which, and themselves, they know no difference.  Their stature is from three to four feet, and they weigh from eighty to ninety pounds.  They have intellect, and are endowed with speech.  It seems as if Providence has created and provided for them in the state in which they now live.  This mountain country is very fertile, full of springs, while grass and vegetation grows in abundance throughout the whole of the year.  They get their food daily, and never lay up anything.  They have no cause to labor, as they neither cook or wear any clothing.
 
The term "Digger" is applied to all of these Indians, wherever located, in consequence of the method of procuring their food, which consists principally of grass-hoppers, snails and wasps.  They are very fond of a certain little animal which the Bible tells us greatly afflicted the Egyptians in the days of Pharaoh.  The California grass-hoppers, however, mainly compose their mess.  These insects are caught by digging a hole in the ground, then making a wide circle round it, and driving them into it, and capturing them.  After baking the grass-hoppers in the fire, or drying them in the sun, they crush service berries into a jam, and pulverizing the insects, mix both together, when the pulpy mass is fit to be eaten.  Sometimes they mix their cricket-meal with parched sun flower seed, but this kind of food is a luxury indulged in only by a few.  They burn off the grass, and then grub in the earth for the nests of wasps.  Acorns are also a favorite article of diet.  The Carpenter bird of California is in the habit of making holes in the Redwood trees, and filling them with acorns.  When a Digger finds a tree stocked in this manner, he kindles a fire at its root, and watches it till it falls, where he helps himself to the acorns.  They usually pound these nuts into a meal, and, mixing this with wild fruit, form a sort of bread.  They also make a kind of bread from grass seeds.
  
The male digger never hunts, but usually depends on the exertions of his squaw to provide something to appease the cravings of hunger.
 
Travellers say that of all the Aborigines known within the limits of the Western Continent, the Digger Indians are certainly the most filthy and abominable.  They come into the world and go from it with as little purpose as other Carniverous animals.
 
It is said that Captain Sutter, the first settle on the Sacramento River, employed these Indians to build his fort.  He paid them in a tin coin of his own invention, upon which he stamped the number of days the holder had worked.  These stamped pieces of tin were taken at his store for articles of dry goods, &c.  He fed his field Indians upon the offals of slaughtered animals and bran sifted from ground wheat.  The latter was boiled in large iron kettles, and then placed in wooden troughs, from which they scooped it with their hands and ate with great relish.

 

ORIGIN AND PARENTAGE OF

 

JULIA PASTRANA, THE NONDESCRIPT

 

The origin and pedigree of this wonderful creature is involved in obscurity.  If of any of the tribes of Digger Indians, she has many characteristics essentially different from those people.  They have no hair on any part of them, except their heads; their stature is from three to four feet; they weigh only from eighty to ninety pounds, and have dispositions very spiteful and hard to govern.  The case is quite the reverse with Julia Pastrana.  She is now four feet six inches high, and weighs one hundred and twelve pounds.  She has thick black hair all over her person, except her bosom, hands and feet.  Her mouth is elongated, with very thick lips.  She has double gums in front, both in the upper and lower jaw—with only one row of front teeth, and those teeth in the back gum of the lower jaw.  She is good natured, sociable and accommodating—can speak the English and Spanish Languages—dance, sing, sew, cook, wash and iron—these latter accomplishments being acquired, of course, since her introduction to civilized life, having been recovered from a state of nature when she was very young.  She is now supposed to be twenty-three years of age.
 
The statement that is generally credited concerning her is as follows:—
 
In 1830, several Digger women went up from Copala, to a small pond on the side of the mountain, in order to bathe, according to the usual custom of the country.  On returning home, they soon after missed one of their companions.  All endeavours to find her proved fruitless, and it was believed  that she was drowned, until six years afterwards a Ranchero who was hunting for his cattle in the mountains, heard a voice in a cave, which he took to be a Mexican woman.  He went down to Copala and got a company of men, who went up, surrounded the cave, and by great stratagem succeeded in recovering the lost woman.  She stated that she lost her way, and had wandered to the top of the mountain, when she fell into the hands of a rival tribe of Digger Indians, who kept her closely confined in a cave for the whole time from her capture to her recovery by the Mexican Ranchero.  The place, however, where she was found, was some hundreds of miles from any human beings, whether Digger Indians or others, and in a region of country abounding in monkeys, baboons, and bears.  She was at the time giving nourishment to this child, about two years old, from the maternal fount.  The woman professed to love this child dearly, though she disclaimed being its parent.  The child was christened Julia Pastrana, and its supposed mother being deceased, she was allowed to remain in the family of Pedro Sanchez, Governor of the State of Sinaloa, in a domestic capacity.  She remained in his family until April, 1854, when she was brought to the United States for exhibition, and has since appeared in all the principal cities and towns, exciting the greatest curiosity, especially among the medical faculty and Naturalists."
 
Certificates were given from three of the most eminent of the faculty in America, as follows:—

Dr. Mott's Certificate

"New York, December 3, 1854

"Sir:—To naturalists alone we leave the task of solving the enigma concerning the origin of Julia Pastrana, the "Semi-Human Indian," which would have puzzled the Sphynx.
 
"She is a perfect woman—a rational creature, endowed with speech which no monster has ever possessed.  She is therefore a Hybrid, wherein the nature of  woman predominates over the brute—the Ourang Outang.  Altogether she is the most extraordinary being of the day.

I remain, your's, respectfully,

ALEX B. MOTT, M.D.

Examination by the Boston Natural History Society.

Boston, September 21, 1857.

"The looks, anatomical conformation, abnormal growth of hair upon the person, sufficiently show that Julia Pastrana belongs to some of the Indian Tribes, supposed to be of Asiatic origin.  She is a perfect woman, performing all the functions of the sex.  Her hair is very opaque but cylindrical in sections, showing there is no admixture of Negro blood.  In her disposition and appearance she is certainly human.

SAMUEL KNEELAND, JR.,

Ex-Curator of Comparative Anatomy of Boston Society of Natural History.

From Professor Brainerd.

Cleveland, August 5, 1855.

"Sir:—In compliance with your request, I will state that I examined the hair of the specimen of the Genus Homo, which you have in charge, and compared it with the hair of the African, under a high magnifying power, and from this comparison, have no hesitation in saying that the individual in question possesses, by this test, NO TRACE OF NEGRO BLOOD.
  
Her other peculiarities; the hair upon the body, its length and structure, the form of the mouth and nose, the size of her limbs, peculiarities of her breasts, &c., and various other features, entitle her, I think, to the rank of a DISTINCT SPECIES.

Yours, truly,

S. BRAINERD, M.D.

THE INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL TRAITS OF MISS JULIA:—

 

Anecdotes, &c.

 

Miss Julia Pastrana is now twenty-three years of age, but the calibre of her mind is by no means so well developed as that of most persons.  Her face, covered with jet black hair—her elongated mouth—her double, very thick, coral-like gums—her skull, covered to the depth of half an-inch with a fleshy substance, on which grows a cumbrous mass of long glossy jet-black silken straight hair, all go to demonstrate that she is really the most extraordinary being that has ever existed on the face of the earth.  The health of Julia Pastrana is perfectly good.  She seems to be able to endure much, in a physiological point of view.  She has never been sick while travelling, delights to travel, and is inclined to be discontented when idle.  Her ideas of making money are limited, but they are brightening, and there are hopes that she will acquire in time the money-getting faculty, equal to that of the rest of the family of man.
 
It will not be out of place at the present time, to mention a few of the many things that occur to persons situated like Miss Pastrana.
 
While on an expedition to Carrol Hall, in Baltimore, she was invited to a ball given by a Military organisation of that city—for a copy of whose Card of Invitation, with the signatures of the Executive Committee, see p. 19 of the more copious 6d. edition, from which we quote, to be had at the Exhibition.
  
"At first Miss Julia seemed indisposed to accept the proffered civility, on account wither of diffidence, or because she imagined that the ladies and gentlemen who would be in attendance would make of her an object for their merriment.  These objections being overcome, she finally consented to attend the festival.  She accordingly dressed herself in a most magnificent manner for the occasion.  Her attire, or costume, consisted of a blue dress, trimmed with silver lace, white kid gloves, black satin slippers, bracelets, watch, and a splendid set of Jewellery, including a diamond ring, which has just been made a present to her.
 
Although somewhat timid or bashful on entering the ballroom, she soon recovered her self-possession, and passed the evening as graceful as if she had been accustomed to scenes of fashion and gaiety all her life—making herself agreeable to all the joyous company.  Indeed, had her face been screened from observation, no one would have discovered anything extraordinary in her behaviour or general appearance, save that her handsome dress alone, might naturally have rendered her the "cynosure of all eyes," particularly among the lovely belles of the Monumental city.
 
"On her introduction to the ball-room, in company with her guardian, she was welcomed by the band of musicians playing Hail Columbia, followed by a grand march, in which the goodly company promenaded around the hall, with Miss Julia at the head of the procession.  After the march, each lady and gentleman present was introduced to her, shook hands with her and took their seats.  When the second cotillion was announced, Julia was invited by several gentlemen to become their partner in the merry dance, all of which attentions she positively declined, inasmuch as it was the first time she had ever attended a ball, and because of her lack of knowledge of the "five positions" of the salstatic divertisement.
  
Soon, however, the band struck up a waltz, whereupon she accepted an invitation from one of the military gentlemen and waltzed around the room a number of times with him, having previously learned the waltz by some natural intuition, or instruction, of which her guardian had no previous information.
 
Her next beau was a very genteel young man in citizen's dress.  Quite an incident heightened the zest of this dance.  The handsome gallant ran up to Miss Julia with considerable eagerness, to secure her for a partner in a Schottish dance.  When the couples however, had taken their places on the floor, the young gentleman, either from fright or some other undefined emotion, was observed to change colour several times, and to exhibit a degree of embarrassment strangely at variance with his character.  He quickly rallied his feelings however, and having acquitted himself in a creditable manner through the evolutions of the "light fantastic toe," led his partner in a graceful and courteous manner to her seat.  In this way the festival passed off piquantly and delightfully to all present—Miss Julia included, who afterwards expressed the pleasure felt on the enchanting occasion.
 
During her exhibition at Bellair, a small town in the interior of Maryland, it happened that the County Court met for its usual session.  Judge Price presided, having just been elected and inducted into the office.  The Judge was invited by Julia's guardian, to pay her a visit.  He did so, and after examining her sufficiently, he remarked that she was too great a curiosity to see without paying for it.  He promptly tendered a piece of money and retired.  The reason and circumstances of the Judge's liberality being explained to Julia, she instantly replied that he was a "good Judge and an honest man," and that she would be willing to have him preside even were she on trial for Murder!  The reason of her speaking of murder arose from the fact, that a man was on trial at that time for that hideous crime, having killed a fellow creature by shooting him.  This incident would show that Julia had a mind capable of reflection, and that she has proper notions of human accountability, as well as a sense of the true distinction between right and wrong.
  
Miss Pastrana's ideas of a city or town, after seeing it, as a general rule, are tolerably correct.  In most cases, she expresses herself quite sagaciously in relation to the probability of doing a good business in her line of profession.  Her memory is very retentive, and she never forgets the countenance of any one she has ever seen, and will readily name the place or occasion when she first saw the individual.  She often meets persons that she has seen months previous, and will at once inform them of the fact, and detail all the circumstances of the case quite succinctly and clearly.
  
She learns everything with about the same readiness of a child of eight years of age, and retains knowledge in a similar degree.  Her disposition is kindly and affable, and she endeavours to pleas everybody.  She is aware that she is on exhibition, and understands that all who visit her expect to be satisfied that there is no attempt to at imposition made upon their curiosity or credulity.  She unhesitatingly submits to every examination or inquisition conducted in a proper manner, as if willing to advance the cause of science or to gratify the laudable curiosity of all who attend at her public levees.  She is always cheerful and appears perfectly contented with her position in life, and seemingly is philosophically resigned to every contingency of destiny, of whatever character in the sublunary state of her existence."  Hoping the enquiring reader will hasten to see Miss Pastrana for himself, and willing to indorse as a further recommendation the concluding remarks of the gentleman who has the exhibiting of her, because, fully agreeing with their truthfulness, we in this place insert them:—
  
"In conclusion, the guardian of Julia Pastrana would remark, that there is nothing in her appearance in the least calculated to offend the sensibilities of the most fastidious, whether viewed, socially, morally, or physically.  A feeling of pity, rather than of repugnance or antipathy, is generally experienced in the bosom of all who pay her a visit.  There is sufficient of the characteristics of her womanly nature to dispel anything allied to the revolting or disagreeable, and connected either with her personal appearance, or the manner in which her levees are conducted.  Persons who visit her with an idea of seeing a wild beast in the cage of a menagerie will be disappointed.  Those who go with the expectation of seeing some frightful monster will have such expectations changed to sentiments of allied at once to awe and astonishment at the mysterious ways of Providence, while his philosophy will be puzzled amazingly to account for his share of the milk of human kindness, and the abundant juiciness of his own heart in view of the wonderful phenomenon that will irresistibly for the time being engross his attention.
 
In any point of view Miss Julia is a curiosity of remarkable interest, and must be seen to be fully appreciated.  She is worthy of a special visit, if it be but to realize something of the profound riddle in which the origin of the Aborigines of America is involved.  The Indians were found on the Hesperian Continent in countless myriads, at the time of its discovery by Christopher Columbus, while the manner in which they were treated by Cortez, in his "Conquest of Mexico," has been the theme of the romancer and historian for centuries.  Yet neither revelation nor science have as yet offered the key for the solution of the perplexing problem whether the "Red Skins of America are of Asiatic origin, or whether they have not always been indigenous or native to the land of the Incas and Aztecs!  Surmises abound, from the most absurd to those of some plausibility.  The Indians have been, at will, transferred into exiled Jews or banished Chinese, while their language has been called Syriac, Welsh and Celtic—still their origin remains unknown.
 
Go and see Julia Pastrana, the "Nondescript," and learn wisdom, subdued by becoming humility.  Go and endeavour to realize where man's bestial attributes terminate and where those that are Divine begin!"

 
While in Russia, Julia died less than five days after giving birth to a son who is reported to have lived for 35 hours.  Although Julia and her son's bodies were embalmed and mummified by a professor named Sokolov who chronicled the process, it  is noticeable that photos of Julia's mummy show facial characteristics that contrast with those seen in the various depictions of Julia made when she was alive.  This may have been due to the embalming process.  Sokolov mentioned that "signs of rapid decomposition were plainly visible" when he began the embalming "by injection of decay-arresting mixtures to halt the decay."  A book presenting passages from Sokolov's report along with assorted photos and drawings of Julia is Julia Pastrana: The Tragic Story of the Victorian Ape Woman (2001) by Christopher Hals Gylseth & Lars O. Toverud.  Evidently Julia's arms and legs were either shaved or photographic retouching was done for the daguerreotype shown below. 

 

Above is the daguerreotype of Julia Pastrana.

Below is how Julia appears in a photo of the embalmed corpse.

In the chapter about Julia in A Cabinet of Medical Curiosities (1997) by Jan Bondeson, the author observed about anthropologists' and dermatologists' theoretical diagnoses of the genetic disorder 'congenital hypertrichosis lanuginosa' (inherited increased hairiness with lanugo hair) —
 

Microscopic examination of hair from the head and beard showed that all features were consistent with human terminal facial hair.  Since replacement of lanugo with terminal hair never occurs in true congenital hypertrichosis lanuginosa, it is clear that Julia Pastrana did not have this disorder.  But what was the cause of her strange deformities?


No observer would have been able to ascertain what was beneath the overgrown gum during her lifetime, but inasmuch as the jaw of the mummy is relatively undamaged, it is now possible to do so.  A skull X-ray and panoramic X-rays of the mummy's jaws show that Julia Pastrana had a complete set of permanent (secondary) teeth, with the possible exception of the upper left lateral incisor.

 
Among some other speculations, Bondeson acknowledged that in relation to the theoretical diagnosis of another rare genetic disease "the autosomal dominant syndrome of congenital hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia": "Nothing even resembling her gross facial deformity — the thick lips, broad and flat nose, and large ears has been seen in any later example of this syndrome."


2/18/13 Update: I noticed that although an unidentified Mail Online reporter had featured some of the art presented in this article, the Daily Mail report of the burial of Julia's mummy in Mexico last week was as superficial as the other newspaper coverage I saw.  There were many cringe-inducing statements.  The article began with the statement "A woman branded the 'ugliest woman in the world' after a rare disease left her body covered in hair has finally returned to her birthplace in Mexico for a proper burial - 153 years after her death."