A CASE OF HEREDITARY BRACHYPHALANGY 297 

»sailor»; residence: first »Sweden», later »unknown»). Efforts now 
made to trace Mr. Kristian Johnsen have led to no results. 
The point of interest in connection with the facts just mentioned 
is the following: if Anna Olsen herself had had the malformation, i. e., 
if the abnormality was present in her family, it was thinkable that in 
Dal, where some of her relatives live, another person belonging to the 
family and suffering of the malformation might have impregnated 
Karen Hansen. However, since I have found the hands of Anna Olsen 
normal and since her relatives according to the information obtained, 
do not show the abnormality, this possibility may be considered as 
excluded. 
The following two possibilities accordingly remain: either Hans 
Olsen is the father of the child in question or a person belonging to 
another family and suffering from the same malformation has ferti- 
lized Karen Hansen. 
I consider the possibility last mentioned as practically excluded. 
The deformity we are here dealing with is very rare. It seems un- 
thinkable that Karen Hansen should be acquainted with two unrelated 
men suffering from this abnormality. Meanwhile I have asked the 
court to inquire of reliable persons in Dal who are well acquainted 
with the locality, whether in this community families or single indivi- 
duals are known to have abnormal hands. 
Through the court I have received the following answer from Mr. 
D., sheriff in Dal: »as sheriff in this community for 25 years I have 
come into connection with and know personally practically every per- 
son living here. But I have never heard anything to the effect that 
families are found here in which some members are suffering from a 
malformation like the one here mentioned — with the exception of 
the man upon whom the child is fathered». 
I have moreover received a letter from Mr. F. R., justice in X., 
informing me that some witnesses have been examined, who according 
to the opinion of the plaintiff, possibly may have had coition with the 
accused. All these witnesses have now once more presented them- 
selves to the justice in Y. The justice as well as the crown witness 
declare that »none of the witnesses suffer from the malformation in 
question». 
CONCLUSION. 
From what has been presented above I believe that Mr. Hans 
Olsen is the father of Karen Hansen’s son Ole Kristian. My opinion 
is based upon the following facts: 
