Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
The figure and skeleton of Harvey Leach, called "Hervio Nono," is in
the museum of the University College in London. The pelvis was
comparatively weak, the femurs hardly to be recognized, and the right
tibia and foot defective; the left foot was better developed, although
far from being in due proportion to the trunk above. He was one of the
most remarkable gymnasts of his day, and notwithstanding the distortion
of his lower limbs had marvelous power and agility in them. As an
arena-horseman, either standing or sitting, he was scarcely excelled.
He walked and even ran quite well, and his power of leaping, partly
with his feet and partly with his hands, was unusual. His lower limbs
were so short that, erect, he touched the floor with his fingers, but
he earned his livelihood as much with his lower as with his upper
limbs. In his skeleton his left lower limb, between the hip and heel,
measured 16 inches, while the right, between the same points, measured
nine inches. Hare mentions a boy of five and a half whose head and
trunk were the same as in any other child of like age. He was 22 1/2
inches high, had no spinal curvature, but was absolutely devoid of
lower extremities. The right arm was two inches long and the left 2
1/4. Each contained the head and a small adjoining portion of the
humerus. The legs were represented by masses of cellular tissue and fat
covered by skin which projected about an inch. He was intelligent, had
a good memory, and exhibited considerable activity. He seemed to have
had more than usual mobility and power of flexion of the lower lumbar
region. When on his back he was unable to rise up, but resting on the
lower part of the pelvis he was able to maintain himself erect. He
usually picked up objects with his teeth, and could hold a coin in the
axilla as he rolled from place to place. His rolling was accomplished
by a peculiar twisting of the thorax and bending of the pelvis. There
was no history of maternal impression during pregnancy, no injury, and
no hereditary disposition to anomalous members. Figure 112 represents a
boy with congenital deficiency of the lower extremities who was
exhibited a few years ago in Philadelphia. In Figure 113, which
represents a similar case in a girl whose photograph is deposited in
the Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians, Philadelphia, we see
how cleverly the congenital defect may be remedied by mechanical
contrivance. With her crutches and artificial legs this girl was said
to have moved about easily.
Parvin describes a "turtle-man" as an ectromelian, almost entering the
class of phocomelians or seal-like monsters; the former term signifies
abortive or imperfect formation of the members. The hands and feet were
normally developed, but the arms, forearms, and legs are much shortened.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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