172 MEMOIES OP THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



were actual bridges of bone, and these connected adjoining lumbar vertebrae. These exostotic 

 growths resembled those seen in the bones of individuals who have worked hard and been exposed 

 to cold and wet, those often found in the bones of the dissecting-room subjects. The condition 

 may be termed &quot; rheumatoid.&quot; It is worthy of observation that the vertebrae were much more 

 frequently affected than the other bones of the skeleton. 



The frequency of this rheumatoid condition in the people represented by these bones may 

 seem rather surprising in view of the mild character of the climate at the present day, which is 

 probably similar to what it was in their time; but, granting the existence of this condition, it is 

 easy to understand its predominance along the spine. The Saladoans were a hard-working 

 people, whose labor was of such a character as to cause much bending of the back, to make them 

 perspire freely, and to subject them to sudden changes of temperature while perspiration was 

 active. In short, they lived in many respects under conditions similar to those of our own labor 

 ing classes, and we need not wonder that they suffered from similar maladies of the vertebral 

 column. 



There was one case of antero-posterior curvature of the spine in an adult which merits special 

 description. In the dorsal region a number of adjoining vertebrae had their bodies symmetrically 

 and bilaterally diminished from behind forwards; they had the shape of a truncated wedge with 

 its base posterior. No distinct evidence of caries could be discovered, as in Potts disease, but the 

 friable and injured condition of the bones did not permit us to announce a positive opinion on this 

 point. The change in shape seemed more probably due to an interstitial absorbtion than to caries. 

 We should hesitate to say that it was a case of tubercular degeneration; there was no satisfactory 

 evidence of the existence of such a condition in any bone in the collection. There were many fringes 

 of new bone along the bodies of the diseased vertebrae, and there was firm coossification of adjoin 

 ing bones at the left sacro-iliac syuchondrosis. There may be other skeletons in this series which 

 had similar lesions, but the loss or destruction of some of the vertebrae forbid us to speak with 

 certainty. We have in the general collection of the Museum a skeleton from Alaska showing a 

 condition similar to that described, and we will anticipate Part II of this work by saying that we 

 have another such skeleton in the series of Cibola. 



A disease exists in Zuili which Mr. Gushing, freely translating the Zufii name, calls the 

 &quot; warps.&quot; It consists of a gradually increasing, symmetrical, antero-posterior curvature of the 

 spine, which, when it reaches completion, after years of progress, brings the knees in close proximity 

 to the chest and renders walking impossible. The patient is obliged to go around on short crutches 

 and is reduced to a helpless condition, his only useful occupation being the knitting of stockings. 

 The disease is not accompanied by abscesses or sinuses, and the general health of the afflicted 

 person is not seriously impaired. It is said that on the first appearance of the malady, if the 

 patient will permit himself to be tied night and day to a straight board, he may avoid the worst 

 consequences; but either this is not an infallible remedy or there are some who have not the forti 

 tude to submit to it, for the writer has seen at least half a dozen sufferers in the pueblo of Zuni, 

 all adults and mostly males. The connection, if any exists, between this disease and the spinal 

 curvature of the Saladoans and Cibolans, referred to above, is worthy of investigation. 



In several cases the conditions suggested the possibility, but by no means demonstrated the 

 certainty, of syphilitic disease. Thus in one there was irregular nodular hypertrophy of the shafts 

 of both tibiae, more especially the right, of the lower part of the right fibula, and of the shafts of 

 both ulnae, while the sternal ends of the first ribs showed exostotic growths. In some cases there 

 was hypertrophy of the tibial shafts without any other evidence of disease. 



The fragmentary and worn conditions of the skulls interfere with the recognition of disease and 

 injury. There were, however, abundant evidences of alveolar abscess, more especially in the lower 

 jaw; and in a few cases the alveolar wall was perforated. In one case the left lower incisor and 

 part of the alveolus were absent, probably from abscess or injury, but in this situation giving a 

 very peculiar appearance to the jaw. 



In 2 or 3 cases the emiuentia articularis was eroded on one side, and the corresponding condyle 

 was also largely destroyed. It seemed to be rather the result of atrophy than inflammation. 



The lesions of the jaws and teeth are father considered in the section on teeth. 



