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Robert Pershing Wadlow (February 22, 1918 – July 15, 1940), according to Guinness World Records is the tallest man in medical history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He is often known as the Alton Giant. Wadlow reached an unprecedented 8 ft 11.1 in (272 cm) in height and weighed 439 lb (199 kg) at his death. His great size and his continued growth in adulthood were due to a tumor within his pituitary gland. He showed no indication of an end to his growth even at the time of his death. February is the second month of the calendar year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Historic Alton Home Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. ... February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Ben Bradshaw moments before breaking the worlds fastest Straitjacket escape title in 50. ... Tumor (American English) or tumour (British English) originally means swelling, and is sometimes still used with that meaning. ... The pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea that sits in the small, bony cavity (sella turcica) at the base of the brain. ...

Early life

Wadlow was born to Harold Franklin and Addie (Johnson) Wadlow in Alton, Illinois on 22 February 1918, at the weight of 8 lb, 6 oz (3.80 kg) and normal height. He was the oldest of five children; his younger siblings were Helen Ione, Eugene Harold, Betty Jean, and Harold Franklin II. His height increased normally until he was four years old. He then started attracting attention due to his rapid growth. By the age of eight, he was 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) tall. At 10, he was 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) and 220 lb (100 kg). At the age of 14, he became the world's tallest Boy Scout at the height of 7 ft 4 in (224 cm), averaging a growth of four inches per year since birth; at that time he wore size 25 (U.S.) shoes. Historic Alton Home Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. ... February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Scouting in Illinois has a long and rich tradition, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. ...

At 16, Wadlow was 7 ft 10.5 in (240 cm) tall and weighed 365 lb (166 kg). At 17, he weighed nearly 400 lb (180 kg) and was 8 ft 1.5 in (248 cm) tall. By age 18, Wadlow had grown to be 8 ft 4 in (254 cm) and weigh more than 390 lb (26 stone/177 kg); his size 37AA shoes (about 19.3 in or 49 cm), were provided to him free of charge. In 1936, after graduating from Alton High School, he enrolled in Shurtleff College with the intention of studying law. By 1937, Wadlow had exceeded all previous recorded human heights. At 19, he was 8 ft 6 in (260 cm) and weighed 435 lb (31 stone/197 kg). On his 21st birthday he attained his greatest weight- 491 lb (223 kg). By this time, his hands measured 12.75 in. (32.4 cm) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger Shurtleff College Shurtleff College was founded 1827 in Alton, Illinois by Reverend John Mason Peck as Alton Seminary. ...

Later years and death

Wadlow at 10

Wadlow's size began to take its toll: he required leg braces to walk, and had little feeling in his legs and feet. When Robert was 21, he reached 8 ft 3 ½ in (252.7 cm) tall. On June 27, 1940 (eighteen days before his death), he was measured at 8 ft 11.1 in (272 cm) by doctors C. M. Charles and Cyril MacBryde of Washington University in St. Louis. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (574x1726, 66 KB)Robert Wadlow at 10, Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois), 1928 March 17. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (574x1726, 66 KB)Robert Wadlow at 10, Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois), 1928 March 17. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ...

In his time, Wadlow was among the most popular of American celebrities; he was well-known due to his 1936 U.S. tour with the Ringling Brothers Circus and his 1938 promotional tour with the INTERCO. He continued participating in various tours and public appearances. A celebrity is a widely-recognized or famous person who commands a high degree of public and media attention. ... The Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884. ... The International Code of Signals (INTERCO) is a signal code to be used by merchant and naval vessels to communicate important messages about the state of a vessel and the intent of its master or commander when there are language barriers. ...

On July 4, 1940 Robert was hospitalised while making a professional appearance at the National Forest Festival; a faulty brace had irritated his ankle, causing a blister and bad infection. Doctors treated him with a blood transfusion and emergency surgery, but his condition worsened and on July 15, 1940, he died in his sleep. For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ...

Around 40,000 people attended Wadlow's funeral on July 19. He was buried in a half-ton coffin that required 12 pallbearers to carry, which was interred within a vault of solid concrete. It was believed that Wadlow's family were concerned for the sanctity of his body after his death, and went to these lengths of security to ensure he would never be disturbed or stolen. July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ...

Today

In 1985, a life-size bronze statue of Wadlow was erected at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Dental Medicine. To this day he is still affectionately known as the "Gentle Giant." Assorted ancient Bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... Bridge over lake on SIUE campus. ...

Gigantism, the disorder from which Wadlow suffered, usually involves only the lower extremities, so that in most cases the head and trunk are of more or less normal size while the lower torso and legs attain extreme proportions. This is similar to the opposing condition of Dwarfism, in which the lower extremeties tend to be underdeveloped yet the upper body remains relatively normal. Anna Haining Bates with her parents Gigantism or giantism, (from Greek gigas, gigantos giant) is a condition characterized by excessive height growth. ... Dwarfism is typically a pathological condition in which the physical size of a person, animal, or plant is well below normal. ...

Robert Wadlow had a pituitary gland tumor that secreted large amounts of growth hormone resulting in acromegalic gigantism. Death is usually a result of heart complications due to the large volume of blood needing to be circulated.

See also

• Xi Shun, the tallest man alive.
• Gul Mohammed, the shortest man ever verifiably recorded.

Robert Pershing Wadlow compared with a 6 foot man, at Bristol Zoo, England

Xi Shun (born China, 1951) is a resident of Inner Mongolia and is since January 15, 2005 recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds tallest living man. ... Gul Mohammed (February 15, 1957 – October 1, 1997) of New Delhi, India, according to The Guinness Book of World Records, is the shortest human being whose existence and height has been independently verified. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1086x1908, 565 KB) Robert Pershing Wadlow and a 6 foot 1 inch man (me) at Bristol Zoo, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1086x1908, 565 KB) Robert Pershing Wadlow and a 6 foot 1 inch man (me) at Bristol Zoo, England. ...

References

• Alton Museum of History and Art article
• Wadlow genealogy
• Find A Grave: Robert Wadlow
• Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois), 17 March 1928; 23 February 1931; 20 February 1934; 26 March 1935; 22 February 1937; 25 February 1939; 15 July 1940.

March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ...

Further reading

• The gentleman giant; the biography of Robert Pershing Wadlow. 1944. Frederic Fadner, assisted by Harold F. Wadlow. Boston, B. Humphries, Inc.
• Looking back and up: At Robert Pershing Wadlow, the gentle giant. 1993. Sandra Hamilton. Alton Museum of History and Art.

External links

• Robert Wadlow Video Video clip on the life of Robert Wadlow
• The Bronze Statue