RAREFYING DISEASE OF THE SKELETON 



399 



Fig. 5E. Photomicrograph illustrating a complex of six areas of interstitial 

 bone enclosed in thin reversal cement lines between two half-closed osteons. 

 The matrix of old bone surrounds enlarged emptv lacunae and is strongly 

 basophilic and metachromatic rather than eosinophilic (open arrow). Only 

 the new bone surrounding large vascular channels contains small li\'ing oste- 

 ocytes (indicated by black arrows) . ( X approx. 400.) 



of methandrostenolone (Dianabol) per day for 6 weeks. She re- 

 gained most of the weight loss, but the backache persisted. The 

 past history was remarkable in that the patient was treated for hyper- 

 thyroidism, gastroenteritis, and herpes zoster when she was 66 years 

 of age. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was not considered because, 

 during the 7 months preceding the first fracture, she received small 

 doses of ACTH and triamcinolone empirically for treatment of vague 

 bone and joint pains. This was discontinued as soon as radiographs 

 of the spine revealed collapsed vertebrae (Figs. 6C to 6E). The 

 calcium intake was estimated at 700 mg per day, and her food 

 habits in general were evaluated as normal. Routine hospital labora- 



