818 



PETER BASSOE 



destruction of the left optic nerve by the tumor. The frontal sinuses 

 were huge. The thyroid and genital organs were small. Another case 

 was the "Kentucky Giant," whose skeleton, described by Hinsdale, is 

 preserved in Philadelphia. Nothing is known of the clinical history. 

 Many acromegalic giants exhibit such an exaggerated kyphosis that their 

 actual height becomes greatly reduced. This is particularly true of the 

 giant Peter Rhyner, described in great detail in 1884 by Fritsche and 

 Klebs, and of the Chinese giant of Matignoii. The latter giant had also 

 rudimentary and functionless genitalia so he perhaps more properly 



belongs in our third class. Giant 

 Mazas, described by Brissaud 

 and Meige, measured 212 cm. at 

 the age of 21 and at 25 reached 

 220 cm. ; at 37 he rapidly devel- 

 oped a kyphosis which reduced his 

 height to 186 cm. at 47 years of 

 age, but also increased his cir- 

 cumference at the level of the 

 gibbiis to the same figure 186 

 cm. He was so bent that the 

 nipples were at the level of the 

 anterior superior iliac spines. 



were enlarged. 



The giant Hugo (Fig. 4), 

 described by Lauiiois and Roy 

 in their book, w r as seen by the 

 writer at a circus in Chicago. 

 The only measurement secured 

 011 this occasion was the width of 

 his palm which was 14.5 cm. He 

 claimed to measure 7 feet 6 

 inches and appeared to do so. 

 His face, large extremities and 

 genu valgum suggested acromegaly. Apparently, only casual observations 

 of this man are on record. Meige also considered him an acromegalic 

 giant. 



A well-studied case is that of "Tambourmajor K," 34 years old, 

 212 cm. tall, first described by Achard and Loeper. His father measured 

 195 cm., a paternal uncle 210 cm., a sister 180 cm. "K" had measured 

 176 cm. at 18 years and reached his full height at 21. Broadening of 

 the hands and face was said to have commenced at 18 years but the 

 acromegalic features were not pronounced until a year or two before 

 death, when he developed glycosuria. The patient died two years after 



Y\<r. 3. Chinese Acromegalic Giant 

 Matignon. (After Launois and Roy.) 



