40 



The present position of the question is as follows : the cause of 

 the original error is as yet undetermined; but there is no reason for 

 supposing that it is either hereditary or a step towards the future. 

 The essential fact is that this error having occurred there is an effort 

 on the part of the organism to correct it as much as possible. This 

 effort is much more successful in some cases than in others. Some- 

 times it seems to act independently on the two sides." 



The following is as brief a record as possible of some additions 

 to the collection of spines in the Warren Museum since my last publi- 

 cation. Attention will be called in passing to points bearing on this 

 discussion. 



No. 786. Cat. No. 9379—69. 



Male, white. C. 7, T. 12, L. 5, S. 6, C. 3? 



The 1st rib on the left side is rudimentary. It measures 9 cm 

 along the concavity. The cartilage is wanting, except for about 1 cm 

 at the sternal termination; the intervening 2 or 3 cm being represented 

 by ligament. The greatest breadth of the rib is about 1 cm. The right 

 1st rib, though complete, is somewhat small. The nature of the arti- 

 cular processes changes at the junction of the thoracic and lumbar regions. 

 The arch of the 5th lumbar vertebra is distinct ; a very rare feature 

 in civilized races. The sacrum and coccyx are fused and complicated. 

 The 30th vertebra, which should be the 1st coccygeal, is sacralized 

 on the right, but not on the left. Thus there are five right sacral 

 foramina. The 31st vertebra has the appearance of having always been 

 fused with the one above it. The two following were probably once 

 distinct. 



The manubrium is asymmetrical in the upper part, which extends 

 further laterally on the leit. It extends downwards without interruption 

 to the 3rd costal cartilages, of which the left one is somewhat the 

 higher. Eight costal cartilages join the sternum. The 12th rib is the 

 only free one. It is about 15 cm long. 



The transverse processes of the lumbar region are normal, except 

 that the 1st is as long as the 3rd. 



Remarks. This spine shows a number of minor irregularities. The 

 under-development of the 1st pair of ribs is accompanied by a last 

 pair of uncommon size. This, together with the continuation of the 

 11th ribs to the sternum, implies a compensatory over-development of 

 the lower end of the thorax. The post-thoracic regions all show a 

 want of clear-cut characteristics. The same may be said of the sternum. 

 The interpretation is that some early error has occasioned a general 

 disturbance of development. Of the cases of continuation of the ma- 

 nubrium to the 3rd costal cartilages some have had cervical ribs. I 

 do not remember any with a ludimentary 1st rib attached to the 8th 

 vertebra. (Schluß folgt.) 



