BONE, PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF. 



439 



As life advances, the osseous system un- 

 dergoes many obvious alterations. The 

 shape of some bones is altered : the natural 

 curvatures of the long bones, for example, are 

 increased ; the direction of the processes and 

 parts of others is changed, the most remarkable 

 example of which occurs in the neck of the 

 thigh-bone; and their powers of affording sup- 

 port and resisting violence are obviously en- 

 feebled. This senile fragility has been gene- 

 rally supposed to arise from an increase in the 

 earthy material of the bones. The opinion, 

 however, has not been invariably borne out by 

 the results of chemical analysis of bones at 

 different periods of life, and has been objected 

 to by M. Ribes,* who, after extensive obser- 

 vation and enquiry, was led to believe " that 

 the fragility of bones depended essentially on 

 a change of action being established within 

 them, and that all the parts entering into the 

 texture of bones are really in less quantity in 

 the aged than m younger individuals." If 

 by " a change of action" in the above passage 

 is meant that gradual decrease of the vital 

 properties observed in every organ and in every 

 tissue as man declines into the vale of years, 



we cordially agree in the opinion ; being 

 satisfied that the results of chemical or me- 

 chanical enquiries, however true in themselves, 

 will always be insufficient to explain the ope- 

 r.itions carried on within a living body. 



Having offered these preliminary remarks, 

 we proceed with an attempt at an arrangement 

 of the patholoay of the osseous system, fully 

 aware, indeed, that every classification of dis- 

 ease must be more or less artificial, and, there- 

 fore, open to objection. Perhaps it may be 

 advantageously considered under the three fol- 

 lowing heads. 1. Cases in which there is a 

 real or supposed derangement or imperfection 

 in the processes carried on within the bone 

 itself in order to its maintenance in the 

 normal or healthy condition. 2. Cases in 

 which there is inflammation of the bone, 

 whether produced by injury, appearing idio- 

 pathically, or connected with some specific 

 taint. The pathological conditions of the pe- 

 riosteum are so intimately connected with this 

 part of the subject, that some reference to its 

 diseases must of necessity be made. 3. Cases 

 in which there is alteration of the original struc- 

 ture or development of a new one ; as thus : 



DISEASES OF THE OSSEOUS SYSTEM. 



CLASS i. Derangements of' internal functions. 



a. Deficiency of the calca- 

 reous deposit Rachitis. 



6. Superabundance of the 



calcareous deposit . . Fragility. 



c. Absorption of the calca- 



reous deposit Mollities. 



d. Absorption of both con- 



stituents Atrophy. 



CLASS i r. Injiaiiimatioji. 



a. Simple inflammation ..Adhesion Union of fracture. 



Suppuration Abscess in bone. 



Ulceration Caries. 



Mortification Exfoliation. 



Death with regeneration Necrosis. 



b. Specific inflammation . .Scrofula Absorption of cancelli. 



Deposit of a cheesy 

 substance. 



Softening of the bone. 



Abscess. 



Caries. 



Syphilis Deposit of fluid between 



the periosteum and 

 bone. Node. 



Caries. 

 CLASS in. Structural diseases. 



a. Spina ventosa Development of a new cavity within a 



bone, with unnatural contents. 



b. Exostosis Growth of a tumour in or from a bone, 



which may consist of Bone. 



Cartilage. 



Both structures mixed. 



c. Osteo-sarcoma Alteration of structure with deposit of 



a new material. 



d. Cancer.f 



e. Fungus hrematodes.f 



f. Bloody cellulated tu- 



mour within bone. 



* We refer our readers for a summary of M. Kibes' opinions, &c. to the Dictionnaire des Sciences 

 Mcdicales, vol. xxxviii. p. 456 ct s<*q. 



t These diseases arc gr-ncrally, if not always, propagated from a jacent parts or structures. 



