Familial Eunuchoid Gigantism

Abstract

THE USUAL classification of giants differentiates between the so-called normal giants and true endocrine giants. The normal giants are tall men, often with tall forebears, with normal sexual development and normal hair growth in whom procreative ability is not known to be impaired. Examples of this type of overgrowth are Falta's (1) giant and Carnera, the boxer. Even in individuals who have been classified as normal giants there are usually the stigmata of hyperpituitarism evident from prognathism, wide spacing of teeth and very large hands and feet. Since, as far as we know at present, growth in length of long bones is dependent upon a stimulus from the anterior lobe of the hypophysis, it is evident that whatever the classification is, abundant or excessive pituitary stimulus must be present in every case of abnormal height. Familial gigantism has seldom been recorded. Davenport (2) in his studies on inheritance of stature has collected data on a few families with tall members.