An American text-book of the diseases of children (1895) (14782023652)

Identifier: amerbook00star (find matches)
Title: An American text-book of the diseases of children ..
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Starr, Louis, 1849-1925 Westcott, Thompson Seiser, 1862-
Subjects: Children
Publisher: Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders
Contributing Library: Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons and Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library



Text Appearing Before Image:
e in the cranium,and the dura mater and scalp are in contact, has been likened to that expe-rienced when pressing upon a fully-distended bladder. At a meeting of theLondon Pathological Society, reported in the Lancet for November, 1880, Dr.Lees presented statistics to show that craniotabes is one of the lesions of inher-ited syphilis; but whether it does sometimes result from inherited syphilis ornot, the evidence that there is a cranial softening which is strictly rachitic, andwhich occurs in those who have not inherited syphilis, appears from reportedobservations to be conclusive. Changes in the Vertebras, etc.—The short bones which participate inthe rachitic disease become softer and more yielding, and their cancelli are filled RACHITIS. 349 with a reddish pulpy substance. In many rachitic cases the vertebrae are butslightly involved, so that no deformity of the spinal column results; but occa-sionally, when many bones are affected, the vertebrae and intervertebral carti- Fio. 2.
Text Appearing After Image:
Head of a Rachitic Child in the New York Infant Asylum. This child also had laryngismus stridulus. lages soften, and spinal curvatures result. The curvatures are due to the weightof the shoulders and head on the spinal column. They are, with some devia-tions, an exaggeration of those present in the normalstate. Rachitic curvatures of the spinal column are Fig. 3. therefore mainly antero-posterior, often with more orless lateral deflection. When there is much curvaturethe vertebrae become wedge-shaped, narrowed upon theconcavity and thickened upon the convexity. The in-tervertebral cartilages are also more or less changedby the pressure, being thinned where the vertebraeapproximate to each other on the concave aspect ofthe curvature, and of normal thickness or thickerthan normal upon the convexity. The accompany-ing wood-cut exhibits the appearance and nature ofrachitic spinal curvature continuing into adult life.Rachitis, having occurred at the usual age, resultedin the permanent defo