Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
"Then follow five instances of genital abnormalities (Nos. 32-36),
consisting of absence of the penis (epispadias?), absence of penis and
umbilicus (epispadias and exomphalos?), hermaphroditism, imperforate
anus, and nondescent of one testicle. The nine following cases (Nos.
37-45) were anomalies of the lower limbs: Nos. 37, 38, and 42 may have
been spontaneous amputations; Nos. 39 and 40 were doubtless instances
of webbed toes (syndactyly), and the deformity indicated in No. 45 was
presumably talipes equinus. The infant born with three feet (No. 43)
was possibly a case of parasitic monstrosity, several of which have
been reported in recent teratologic literature; but what is meant by
the statement concerning 'male and female legs' it is not easy to
determine.
"Certain of the ten following prodigies (Nos. 46-55) cannot in the
present state of our knowledge be identified. The presence of
congenital patches of white or gray hair on the scalp, as recorded in
No. 46, is not an unknown occurrence at the present time; but what the
Chaldeans meant by ipga, pinde, hali riksi, and kali on the head of the
new-born infant it is impossible to tell. The guess may be hazarded
that cephalhematoma, hydrocephalus, meningocele, nevi, or an excessive
amount of vernix caseosa were the conditions indicated, but a wider
acquaintance with the meaning of the cuneiform characters is necessary
before any certain identification is possible. The 'pieces of skin
hanging from the head' (No. 51) may have been fragments of the
membranes; but there is nothing in the accompanying prediction to help
us to trace the origin of the popular belief in the good luck following
the baby born with a caul. If No. 53 was a case of congenital horns on
the head, it must be regarded as a unique example, unless, indeed, a
form of fetal ichthyosis be indicated.
"The remaining observations (No. 56-62) refer to cases of congenital
teeth (No. 56) to deformity of the ears (Nos. 60 and 61), and a horn
(No. 62)."
From these early times almost to the present day similar significance
has been attached to minor structural anomalies. In the following pages
the individual anomalies will be discussed separately and the most
interesting examples of each will be cited. It is manifestly evident
that the object of this chapter is to mention the most striking
instances of abnormism and to give accompanying descriptions of
associate points of interest, rather than to offer a scientific
exposition of teratology, for which the reader is referred elsewhere.
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