GIGANTISM 



839 



cause. Stier has collected a large number of cases of hemihypertrophy 

 and hemiatrophy, general and local, and of supernumerary nipples, fingers 

 and toes, etc., and has noted whether the persons concerned were right- 

 handed or left-handed. He is convinced that the excess formations, such 

 as hemihypertrophy and supernumerary digits, more often occur on the 

 right side in right-handed individuals, while hemiatrophies and defect 



Fig. 22. Hemihypertrophy. (After Bassoe, Am. J. Insan.) 



malformations are more frequent on the left side. In other words, there 

 seems to be some relationship between these malformations and the domi- 

 nant cerebral hemisphere, but the mechanism by which they are produced 

 remains unknown. 



Naturally cases of this kind are sometimes recorded as instances of 

 unilateral acromegaly, a non-existent condition. This title was chosen by 

 Burchardt, who briefly describes a girl eleven years old whose left eye, 

 ear and whole face, as well as the left hand and foot, were larger than 

 the right. The left leg, however, was shorter than the right. 



