Dwarfism 



PETER BASSOE 



CHICAGO 



A dwarf is a person of very small size as compared with the average 

 of individuals of the same age and race (Meige). 



The term is applied both to those who owe their defective stature to 

 local deformity and to those who are not deformed, but merely below the 

 level of normal growth, say of 150 cm. in the white race (Gilford). To 

 Meige's definition Levi adds that true dwarfs must present the somatic 

 characters and functions, particularly sexual, corresponding to their age. 

 This restriction is made so as to exclude the subjects of infantilism, a dis- 

 order characterized by persistence of somatic and psychic characteristics 

 belonging to a much lower age than the actual one of the individual under 

 consideration. We have seen before that subjects of infantilism may be of 

 normal or even gigantic size. Yet the immaturity common to all of them 

 irrespective of size is so conspicuous that they should be considered in a 

 class by themselves, regardless of size. 



Taking the term dwarf in its literal sense the following classification 

 adopted after von Hansemann appears appropriate: 



I. Proportionate Dwarfs. 



A. Primordial or true dwarfs. (Essential Microsomia.) 



B. Hypophyseal divarfs. (Paltauf type.) 



C. Intermediate or mixed forms. 

 II. Disproportionate Dwarfs 



A. Achondroplasia. (Chondrodystrophia fcetalis.) 



B. Eachitic dwarfs. 



C. Cretins. 



D. Congenital syphilis. 



Primordial Dwarfism. (Essential Microsomia.) The best descrip- 

 tion of this condition is given by Ettore Levi (c). This kind of dwarf is a 

 perfectly normal human being, physically and mentally, merely of small 

 size, or, as Meige puts it, a normal person viewed through the large end 

 of a telescope. There are no features of infantilism, either physical 

 or psychic. Genital development and function are normal, and ossification 

 occurs at normal age, The condition is a familial one, more frequent in 



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