In the early 19th century, Paris was the site of an unusual medical case involving a woman known as Madame Dimanche, or “Widow Sunday.” At the age of 76, Madame Dimanche began to develop a cutaneous horn—a rare keratinous skin tumor—on her forehead. Over the course of six years, this horn grew to an astonishing length of 24.9 centimeters (9.8 inches). The condition, formally known as “cornu cutaneum,” is characterized by a conical projection above the skin surface that can resemble a horn, wood, or coral.
Despite the horn’s impressive size, it was successfully removed by the renowned French surgeon Br. Joseph Souberbeille (1754–1846). Cutaneous horns are typically small and benign, but they can occasionally become malignant or premalignant, making each case unique and medically significant.
Madame Dimanche’s condition and the subsequent removal of the horn garnered considerable attention. A wax model of her head, depicting the extraordinary growth, is now preserved and displayed at the Mütter Museum, The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, USA. This exhibit offers a rare glimpse into the medical curiosities and challenges of the 19th century.