Orthopaedic Outpatient Department Research Articles

Erbbiologie der angeborenen Körperfehler

The author of this interesting little book was head of the orthopedic outpatient department at Munich and has used this wealth of material for the study that he has undertaken. He believes that practically all the common congenital deformities, namely, those that deal with variations in the bones and joints and extra digits, are due to an inherited tendency, and each of his observations is accompanied by a family tree to illustrate this. The subject matter is very interesting and well brought out. The plates illustrating the various types of deformities are well done.

A STUDY OF ACHONDROPLASIA

<h3>INTRODUCTION</h3> Ita P. appeared in the orthopedic outpatient department of the Children's Hospital for treatment because of a "bunch" on her back. As usual, a roentgen-ray examination was made. The plates showed widely separated vertebral bodies with a peculiar wedge-shaped vertebra at the point of the "bunch." As this did not seem to be due to any of the more common processes, further study was instituted. Following this, Jansen's "Achondroplasia" was studied, and it was while studying this that the idea suggested itself that the peculiar wedge-shaped vertebra might easily be a result of his "amnio pressure," although he makes no mention of this condition. Furthermore, the significance of the following statement of G. Elliot Smith (of the University of Manchester) became evident. "His (Jansen's) hypothesis cannot fail to serve the even greater purpose of stimulating research, by giving a new point of view, an illuminating suggestion, which is certain

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

The following paper deals with an analysis of 635 consecutive unselected cases of infantile paralysis seen at the Orthopedic Out-Patient Department of the Childrens' Hospital, Boston, between Jan. 1, 1897, and Jan. 1, 1908. We are indebted to the Orthopedic Department of the Hospital for permission to report the cases, and to the neurologist for the privilege of consulting the records of that department in cases common to both clinics. The investigation was begun eighteen months ago, and so far as possible the cases have been examined personally by one of us. FUNDAMENTAL ANATOMIC CONSIDERATIONS. We are dealing with a lesion of the motor cells of the anterior horns of the spinal cord, and, as it is obvious from the pathology that the harmful agent reaches these cells through the blood current, the relation of the arterial supply to the motor cells becomes of importance. Spinal Motor Cells. —The spinal

STATIC FOOT ERROR.ANALYSIS OF ONE THOUSAND CASES.

The object of this investigation was (1) to contribute to the sum of available statistics of static foot error; (2) to draw from the cases any warrantable conclusions. STATISTICAL SUMMARIES. The cases are from the Orthopedic Out-patient Department of the Carney Hospital, Boston, through the courtesy of Dr. Painter, and include only those cases of foot trouble in which the chief factor appears to be static, i. e., an error of weight bearing. Thus acute and chronic arthritis of the foot, paralytic, circulatory, and recent traumatic and inflammatory conditions are excluded; but those cases are included in which any of the preceding causes determined a faulty static condition which itself had become the chief factor in the foot trouble. The cases are the thousand next preceding Sept. 1, 1903, and cover a period of two years and four months. The data are from the hospital records and from