Daniel Cajanus

Daniel Cajanus (1704 – 27 February 1749) was a Swedish-Finnish giant. He made his living by exhibiting himself for money, appearing in many European countries and attracting the interest of scientists and laypeople, including royalty. After his death, portions of his skeleton found their way into museums, where some parts still remain.

Biography

Cajanus was born in Paltamo, Oulu, Swedish Finland, the son of a clergyman. His Latinized surname might have been derived from the name of the town of Kajaani or the region of Kainuu, which was also known by its Latin name "Cajania". Finland was at that time part of Sweden, and Cajanus was often referred to as the "Swedish Giant". Estimates of his adult height vary and range as high as . Jan Bondeson, a medical professional and author who has researched and written on Cajanus, suggests that his true height was around , Various unconfirmed versions of his early life exist, but tax records indicate he may have left the country in 1723 or soon afterward, and Finnish and Swedish tradition recounts that he joined the bodyguard of Frederick William I of Prussia, which was composed of unusually tall soldiers and was nicknamed the Potsdam Giants. and in several other productions. The History of Cajanus, the Swedish Giant, from his Birth to the Present Time was published on 23 September of that year, and advertisements for it encouraged the reader to visit the exhibition opposite the Mansion House where Cajanus himself could be seen.

Netherlands

Cajanus was quite popular in the Netherlands. In 1745 Cajanus settled in Haarlem, where he bought the right to live in the Proveniershuis, a sheltered housing unit that provided him with accommodation, meals and medical care. In the following years he wrote and published poetry and became a well-known figure in the town; a line marked on a pillar in the city's Grote Kerk still records his measured height during his residence there. This same pillar has a print now illustrating his exhibitions together with Simon Paap, a dwarf who died in December 1828. A life-size painting of him also hung in the church for centuries, but today hangs in the Haarlem city hall.

Cajanus died on 27 February 1749, leaving a large sum in his will to pay for a lavish funeral and a burial vault inside the Grote Kerk, with the intention of safeguarding his remains from disturbance. His coffin is said to have been long. Despite his precautions, the vault was later sold, and Cajanus's bones were acquired by museums. Some are still held at the Museum of Anatomy in the University of Leiden.

Medical Daniel Cajanus apparently suffered from gigantism caused by a defect of the pituitary, possibly combined with hypogonadism. This is indicated by the fact that Cajanus' bodily proportions, and especially his strikingly long arms, were consistent with those of eunuchs.

A tendency towards gigantism was displayed more broadly in his family. His sister Agneta, who went to Haarlem after his death to deal with his estate, was depicted as an especially large woman. A distant relative, Israel Cajanus, had extremely large hands and feet and thus probably also suffered from acromegaly.

The available information about Daniel Cajanus' actual size is somewhat variable; however it is clear that his height reduced somewhat over the course of his life. Investigations into his preserved bones reveal a phenomenon typical of gigantism which explains this reduction: the overproduction of growth hormone leads to a thickening of the cartilage, which wears away in the course of time, leading to symptoms similar to osteoarthritis. The condyles of his bones show clear signs of erosion, which also explain his difficulties in walking in his later years.