BOOMERANG LEG 415 



BOOMERANG LEG. 



This is a bowing forwards of the bones of the legs occurring in 

 young aduhs during the period of gro^\l]l. It is of uni^nown causation. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



It occurs among the natives of Western Australia, Northern 

 Territory, North Queensland, Torres Straits and British New Guinea. 



AETIOLOGY. 



The post-mortem appearance suggests a chronic osteomyelitis of 

 both tibia?. It begins as a rarefying osteitis, passing on to a con- 

 densing osteitis, metaplasia of the fibrosed marrow, and a new peri- 

 osteal formation. Syphilis and tuberculosis can be excluded as 

 causative factors. 



SYMPTOMATOLOGY. 



There are tenderness and pain in the tibia' and fibuhe, the bones 

 may become soft and bent until the}- graduall}- assume the boomerang 

 curve with the convexitv outwards. 



The patient becomes flat-footed and walks w ith a shuffling gait. 



The subcutaneous tissues become inflamed and tender. 



There is some febrile disturbance. 



The symptoms gradually disappear, the bones resume their former 

 hardness, but the deformity remains. 



WHITMORE'S DISEASE. 

 DEFINITION. 



A septicasmic infection of insidious onset, characterized by nodules 

 and abscesses resembling those of glanders in the lungs and viscera, 

 occurring in morphino-maniacs usually and those addicted to the 

 cocaine habit. 



A bacillus has been found, but not yet definitely classified. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Rangoon. 



^ETIOLOGY. 



It occurs in the adult males of the poorer classes. It has a close 

 relation to the hypodermic syringe. 



The isolated bacillus has been differentiated from the B. mallei. 

 The diagnosis is usually made at the autopsv. 



SYMPTOMATOLOGY. 



It is insidious in onset, usually occurring in broken-down morphine 

 or cocaine victims. There is cough with pain, irregular pyrexia, furred 

 tongue, slight ulceration of the tonsils, broncho-pneumonic S'gns and 



