Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
Complete absence of the inferior maxilla is much rarer in man than in
animals. Nicolas and Prenant have described a curious case of this
anomaly in a sheep. Gurlt has named subjects presenting the total or
partial absence of the inferior maxilla, agnathes or hemiagnathes.
Simple atrophy of the inferior maxilla has been seen in man as well as
in the lower animals, but is much less frequent than atrophy of the
superior maxilla. Langenbeck reports the case of a young man who had
the inferior maxilla so atrophied that in infancy it was impossible for
him to take milk from the breast. He had also almost complete
immobility of the jaws. Boullard reports a deformity of the visage,
resulting in a deficiency of the condyles of the lower jaw. Maurice
made an observation on a vice of conformation of the lower jaw which
rendered lactation impossible, probably causing the death of the infant
on this account. Tomes gives a description of a lower jaw the
development of the left ramus of which had been arrested. Canton
mentions arrest of development of the left perpendicular ramus of the
lower jaw combined with malformation of the external ear.
Exaggerated prominence of the maxillaries is called prognathism; that
of the superior maxilla is seen in the North American Indians. Inferior
prognathism is observed in man as well as in animals. The bull-dog, for
example, displays this, but in this instance the deformity is really
superior brachygnathism, the superior maxilla being arrested in
development.
Congenital absence of the nose is a very rare anomaly. Maisonneuve has
seen an example in an individual in which, in place of the nasal
appendix, there was a plane surface perforated by two small openings a
little less than one mm. in diameter and three mm. apart.
Exaggeration in volume of the nose is quite frequent. Ballonius speaks
of a nose six times larger than ordinary. Viewing the Roman
celebrities, we find that Numa, to whom was given the surname
Pompilius, had a nose which measured six inches. Plutarch, Lyourgus,
and Solon had a similar enlargement, as had all the kings of Italy
except Tarquin the Superb.
Early in the last century a man, Thomas Wedders (or Wadhouse), with a
nose 7 1/2 inches long, was exhibited throughout Yorkshire. This man
expired as he had lived, in a condition of mind best described as the
most abject idiocy. The accompanying illustration is taken from a
reproduction of an old print and is supposed to be a true likeness of
this unfortunate individual.
There are curious pathologic formations about the nose which increase
its volume so enormously as to interfere with respiration and even with
alimentation; but these will be spoken of in another chapter.
There have been some celebrities whose noses were undersized. The Duc
de Guise, the Dauphin d'Auvergne, and William of Orange, celebrated in
the romances of chivalry, had extremely short noses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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