?S DISEASES CLASS!. 2. 2 . iS. 



' In this cafe there is no expectation of recovering the ftraight- 

 nefs of the end of the bone ; but thefe patients are liable to 

 another misfortune, that is, to acquire afterwards a diftor^ 

 tion of the fpine ; for as one leg is fhorter than the other, they 

 fmk on that fide, and in confequence bend the upper part of 

 their bodies, as their moulders, the contrary way, to balance 

 themfelves; and then again the neck is bent back again towards 

 the lame fide, to preferve the head perpendicular ; and thus the 

 figure becomes quite diftorted like the letter S, owing original- 

 ly to the deficiency of the length of one limb. The only way 

 to prevent this curvature of the fpine is for the child to wear a 

 high-healed (hoe or patten on the lame foot, fo as to fupport that 

 fide on the fame level with the other, and thus to prevent a 

 greater deformity. 



I have this day feen a young lady about twelve, who does not 

 limp or waddle in walking ; but rteverthelefs, when me ftands 

 or fits, me finks down towards her right fide, and turns out that 

 toe more than the other. Hence, both as me 'fits and ftands, 

 {he bends her body to the right ; whence her head would hang 

 a little over her right fhoulder , but to replace this perpendicu- 

 larly, me lifts up her left fhouider and contracts the mufcles on 

 that fide of the neck ; which are therefore become thicker and 

 ilronger by their continued aftion 5 but there is not yet any very 

 perceptible diftortion of the fpine. 



As her right toe is turned outward rather more than natural, 

 this mews the difeafe to be in the hip-joint ; becaufe, when the 

 limb is ftretched out, the toe cannot turn horizontally in the 

 leaft without moving the end of the thigh-bone ; although when 

 the knee is bent, the toe can be turned through one third or half 

 of a circle by the rotation of the tibia and fibula of the leg round 

 each other. Hence if children are fet in flocks with their heels 

 touching each other as they fit, and are then made to rife up, 

 till they ftand erect, the focket or head of the thigh-bone becomes 

 injured, efpecially in thofe children, whofe bones are foft ; and 

 a fhortnefs of that limb fucceeds either by the bending of the 

 neck of the thigh-bone, or by its getting out of the acetabulum ; 

 and a confequcnt rifing of one moulder, and a curvature of the 

 fpine are produced from fo diflant a caufe. 



M. M. An el a Hi c cufhion made of curled hair mould be pla- 

 ced under the affected hip, whenever (he fits ; or mould be fit- 

 ted to the part by means of drawers, fo that fhe cannot avoid 

 fitting on it. A neck-fwing, and lying down in the day, mould 

 be occafionally ufed to prevent or remove any curvature of the 

 fpine. The reft as in Species 1 3 and 1 5 of this genus. 



1 8. S uberam* Protuberant ijpine. One of the bones 



of 



