A Brief Note From 1873 About A Wolf Boy

From the August 29, 1873 New York Times:

“An interesting child, remarks the Pall Mall Gazette, has lately made his appearance at Lucknow. The Pioneer reports the arrival there of ‘a novelty in the shape of a wolf boy.’ This young gentleman, who is now undergoing a process of taming in a lunatic asylum, was, it is said, carried off by wolves when an infant, and has remained with them until a short time ago, when caught and recognized by his parents. His family, however, can hardly be congratulated on his restoration to their bosom, for his education in the wolf nursery (which, by the way, was purely secular), seems to have been very defective. His manners are not only disagreeable, but peculiar. At first he walked on all fours, though now he has been induced to walk on his two feet only, like a reasonable being; he has long hair on his head, and his body is much scarred, and he cannot speak, nor can he understand a single word. His parents suffered much inconvenience on his first arrival at home, owing to his frequently attacking and trying to devour them by night; and, indeed, it was owing to his persistence in this unfilial conduct that they were compelled in self-defense to place him under medical surveillance. He also, among other disagreeable habits, tears raw meat to pieces with his teeth, and eats it ravenously like a wild beast, and, moreover, bites and snaps at any one who attempts to touch him.”