EFFECTS ON THE SPLEEN 



273 



body length, it will be noted that in those above 120 cm. in body length, there is 

 no very marked tendency to subnormality in the weight of the spleen. Many 

 of the enlarged spleens are probably due to syphilis, tuberculosis, or other 

 complications, however. Among the children (Fig. 76), the splenic atrophy is 

 more striking, but here also the weight is often above normal. 



Fig. 76. — Graph showing the individual weights of the spleen, according to body length, 

 in atrophic infants from various sources. The larger dots represent original Minnesota cases. 

 The curve of normal spleen weight is from data compiled by Prof. R. E. Scammon. Most 

 of the cases are clearly below normal, although there is great individual variation. 



Children. — Ohlmiiller ('82) observed a weight of 6.8 g. in the spleen of an 

 atrophic infant of 8 weeks (body weight 2,381.2 g.), while in a ''normal" 

 infant of the same age (body weight 4,149.5 g.) the spleen weighed 20.2 g. 

 Unfortunately the previous weight of the atrophic infant is not stated. De 

 Tommasi ('94) and Thiercelin ('04) concluded that in atrophic infants the spleen 

 is small. Bovaird and Nicoll ('06) from weights at 571 autopsies on children of 

 various ages (newborn to 5 years) at the N. Y. Foundling Hospital concluded 

 that the spleen "has no apparent relation to the size or state of nutrition of the 

 child." Mattei ('14) likewise concluded that the spleen in athreptic infants is 

 very irregular in weight, though often small. In 7 cases below 3 months of age 

 he found the spleen ranging between 5 and 10 g., body weight 2,260-3,100 g. 

 (previous body weight not given). 



Lesage ('14) found a weight of 8 g. in the spleen of an atrophic infant of 4 

 months (normal 15 g.). Nobecourt ('16) and Marfan ('21) concluded that in 

 general the spleen is relatively small in malnourished infants. In famine- 

 stricken children of various ages, Nicolaeff ('23) found the spleen 48-51 per 

 cent subnormal in weight according to age. 



