Lucia Zarate

Lucia Zarate (1864 in San Carlo, Mexico - 1890) is the first person identified with Majewski Osteodysplastic Primordial Dwarfism Type II.Hall, Judith G., Christina Flora, Charles I. Scott, Jr., Richard M. Pauli, Kimi Tanak. (2004) " [http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:Dvq5xh2vyQ4J:www.primordialdwarfism.com/fulltext-1.pdf+%22primordial+dwarfism%22+life+expectancy&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us Majewski Osteodysplastic Primordial Dwarfism Type II (MOPD II): Natural History and Clinical Findings] "American Journal of Medical Genetics" 130A:55-72.] She was entered into the Guinness World Records as the "lightest recorded adult", weighing convert|4.7|lb|kg at the age of 17. [McFarlan, Donald, Norris McWhirter. (1988) "1989 Guinness Book of World Records". Bantam Books, 6. ISBN 0553279262.] According to an 1894 article in "Strand Magazine", Zarate achieved her full growth by the age of one year." [http://books.google.com/books?id=8Q4wAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA437&dq=%22Lucia+Zarate%22&client=firefox-a#PRA1-PA437,M1 Giants and Dwarfs] " in "The Strand Magazine", G. Newnes, 1894. Originally published v.8, Jul-Dec 1894.]

At the age of twelve, Zarate moved from her native Mexico to the United States, where she was exhibited for her small stature. An 1876 factbook published by Oxford University discussed a visit to Zarate paid by several medical professionals, who could not certainly verify that she was twelve, but could ascertain through her dental development that she was at least six.cite book | first = James | last = Mason | title = The history of the year 1876, containing 'The Year book of facts' and 'The Annual summary' | url = http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6DoIAAAAQAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=%22Lucia+Zarate%22&ots=iJnbUT87-g&sig=p-qzDo86y--iuIrPDZDG8cpiJos#PPA5,M1 | page = 4-5 | publisher = Oxford University] At the time, her height was measured at convert|21.5|in|m tall (shod) and her calf was measured as convert|4|in|mm in circumference, convert|1|in|mm more than the thumb of an average adult man. She was with her parents at the time and found to be healthy and intelligent, able to speak some English along with her native Spanish.

She first worked as part of an act billed as the "Fairy Sisters", later partnering with Francis Joseph Flynn (billed under the stage name "General Mite") to exhibit internationally. [cite book | first = Matthew | last = Sweet | title = Inventing the Victorians | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=b-CJCzpR3QYC&pg=PA149&dq=%22Lucia+Zarate%22&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U2iRv_r-PLsYjQiwMW6x9NJLKRSRA#PPA149,M1 | publisher = Macmillan | date = 2001 | isbn = 0312283261 | page = 149-150] In 1889 she was billed in "The Washington Post" as the "marvelous Mexican midget" and described as "a tiny but all powerful magnet to draw the public." [cite news | last = Staff | title = Uffner's royal American midgets | work = The Washington Post | date = 1889-02-25 | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/191121282.html?dids=191121282:191121282&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=FEB+25%2C+1889&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Uffner%27s+Royal+American+Midgets.&pqatl=google | accessdate = 2008-09-17] When her circus train became stranded in snow in the Rocky Mountains in 1890, Zarate died of hypothermia.

Notes

External sources

* [http://www.showhistory.com/LuciaZarate.gp.jpeg Photo of Zarate]
* [http://missioncreep.com/mundie/images/image9.htm James G. Mundie's Art on Lucia Zarate]