THE PHILIPPINE 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 
VOL. 20 ' JANUARY, 1922 No. 1 
TWO INTERESTING CASES OF ECTROSYNDACTYLY * 
By S. E. Yap and E. V. PINEDA 
Of the Departments of Anatomy and Pathology and Bacteriology, College 
of Medicine and Surgery, University of the Philippines 
SIX PLATES 
The deformities discussed in this paper consist of ectrodactyly 
and syndactyly. The former is a defect of the extremities in 
which there is absence of digits, and the latter is the condition 
where there is coherence of digits. Both of these malformations 
were found associated in our two cases. 
Ectrosyndactyly is of embryological interest, though it has 
received but little attention until lately. It is interesting from the 
viewpoint of its origin and occurrence. Its close resemblance 
to the claw of the crab or the hoof of some of the ungulates at 
once attracts the observer’s attention. Brief and scattered rec- 
ords of this deformity can be found in the literature of the 
latter part of the nineteenth century. But there are some cases 
reported as early as the seventeenth century; such, for instance, 
as the “Cleppie Bells” family mentioned by Pearson. It is inter- 
esting to mention in this connection that the deformity seems 
to be common in Scotland, where it has been traced in families 
through from four to six generations. In the majority of cases 
the defect has occurred in families. Of one hundred eighty 
cases, collected by Lewis and Embleton in 1907 from the liter- 
ature, only thirteen occurred as single cases; that is, in various 
families. : 
It is unfortunate that we had to base our observations upon 
only external examination of the extremities and a study of 
‘Read before the annual meeting of the Philippine Islands Medical 
Association, February 2, 1921. , 
183677 ‘ 1 
