Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterized by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, especially in the legs and genitals. Elephantiasis generally results from obstructions of the lymphatic vessels. It is most commonly caused by a parasitic disease known as lymphatic filariasis.
Alternatively, elephantiasis may occur in the absence of parasitic infection. This nonparasitic form of elephantiasis, known as nonfilarial elephantiasis or podoconiosis, generally occurs in the mountains of central Africa. Nonfilarial elephantiasis is thought to be caused by persistent contact with volcanic ash. Elephantiasis is associated in the public mind with "the Elephant Man", the carnival stage name of Joseph Merrick. The name refers to the resemblance of the sufferer's limbs to the thick, baggy skin on the limbs and trunks of elephants. However, it is now believed that Merrick's deformity was not actually caused by elephantiasis, but by a completely different medical problem called Proteus Syndrome.