192 



even before incineration, left, after exposure 

 to a red heat for some time, a very porous 

 and light inorganic structure. The following 

 results were obtained by thus burning off the 

 organic components 100 grains of bone, 



From the body of an upper lumbar verte- 



PELVIS. 



work before cited, of a portion of bone af- 

 fected with this disease we find in 100 parts : 

 Phosphate of lime and magnesia - 17*48 

 Carbonate of lime and soluble salts """"" 



grs. 



bra left of earthy matter 

 the last lumbar vertebra 

 lower end of the sacrum 

 ilium (cotylo-sacral rib) 

 ischium (near tuberosity) 

 pubes (near acetabulum) 

 head of the femur 

 neck of the femur 



31 



27 



40 

 36 

 33 

 22 



25 



Total of inorganic matter 23*80 

 Cartilage vessels and fat - 76' 20 

 Specific gravity of the bone 0'721. 

 Among the reasons adduced in favour of the 

 supposition that this disease is sometimes a 

 malignant one, besides the general and violent 

 pains that usually precede the deformity, its 

 incurability and unchecked course towards 

 a fatal termination, have been given. That 

 this result is not invariably the case, the fol- 



shaft of the femur (below trochant) 58 lowing case quoted from Naegele will show, 

 When we compare the foregoing proppr- j n tne f act tnat tne p e l v ic bones had regained 

 tions of the two constituents of bone with tne j r norma i hardness. In the pelvis whence 

 those given by Schreger, as the normal pro- tne foregoing analysis was taken, the bones 

 portions of adult bone viz., 20*18 animal, had, m0 st probably, at some former period 

 and 74*84 earthy matter the diminution of the ^ een mucn softer than they were at the time 

 inorganic constituents appears very striking, o f death. Such cases also show, that though 

 and still greater when compared with those of very frequently, the pelvic bones distorted by 

 aged bone ; although less so than in the re- m oilities are so soft and pliable as to yield, 

 suits of the analysis of Dr. Leeson, in the sometimes considerably, to the foetal head ; 

 extreme case recorded by Mr. Solly before vet tnat t his j s Dv no means always the case, 

 given. nor should it be taken, as it is by some ob- 



The femurs were perfectly normal in shape, stetricians, as a characteristic mark of this 



as also were the bones of the lower leg, but 

 the pelvis was a rostrated one, the superior 



disease affecting the pelvis. 



A very minutely detailed case of pelvic dis- 



pubic rami being bent in the middle nearly at tortion, resulting clearly from one or other 



|_ A _i .,! ,,,,K s1s\ti*rY-i-fts^ c\r\f\ r*r\r\ t i f jy** ! I XT 1~ dfc 



right angles, and much deformed and con- ^ m( j o f mo inties ossium, is given by Naegele.* 



tracted in all its diameters. It was remark- j|-, e su bj ec t of the case, after having borne 



able, that, at the bend of the superior pubic s * x children (five healthy, full sized, and living, 



rami, and at the suture of the ischio-pubic an d the sixth still born), became affected with 



rami, there was a complete deficiency of t his disease, which brought about such exten- 



osseous matter, so that after maceration, the s i ve p e l v i c distortion and contraction, that, 



pubes separated at these points ; showing that at the seventh labour, the Caesarian operation 



the connection and continuation of the bone was rendered necessary, from the conse- 



in these places was purely ligamentous, or q uence s of which the patient died after the 



by organic matter, as if resulting from an un- 

 united fracture. 



fourth day. The shortness of the time m 

 which the pelvis became so much distorted, 



The sudden diminution of the hard con- together with the extent of the deformity, 

 stituents in the head and neck of the femur, an j t h e f ac t that, at the time of the patient's 



as compared with its shaft, is worthy of ob- decease, it had regained its normal hardness, 

 servation 'in reference to the bending and render the case a very remarkable one. 

 fracture of the femoral neck in old people. Nae^ele considered it as the most contracted 



The smaller proportion of earthy matter in p e i v f s that had ever come under his observa- 



the pubes, as compared with the ilium, and 

 in the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae, as com 



tion. 



The anterior wall was pushed upwards and 



pared with the femoral shaft and pelvis, will t j )e "posterior downwards, the superior plane 



account for the greater yielding and deformity being bent at the acetabula, so that the 



which are observed in these parts in the U pp er border of the pubic symphysis was 



angular pelvic distortion, especially in the j eve | w j tn the upper surface of the 4th lumbar 



rostrated variety, and will be referred to pre- ve rtebra ; and a line drawn from one anterior 



sently in the consideration of the mechanism Sl ,p e rior iliac spine to the other, cut the 



of pelvic deformities. upper surface of the 3rd lumbar vertebra at 



In the analysis made by Dr. Bostock of j t8 posterior half. The innominate bones were 



the dorsal vertebrae of a woman affected pus h e d together, and presented the acute fur- 



by moilities, he found, that the proportion 



row? 



cracked pasteboard, on their inner 



of the earthy constituents amounted to only sur f ace s. The sacrum was bent almost 



one-fifth of the whole weight in one part of double. The measurements are given by the 



the bone, and to one-eighth only in another ; aut hor, as follow f: 



while in a healthy bone from the same part, 



they amounted to more than one half the * Erfalmmgen und Abhandlungen ; and Appen- 



whole weight.* 



In the analysis given, in Rokitan sky's 



* Med. Chir. Trans, vol. iv. 



dix to Das SchrJig Verengte Becken. 



| The measurements used by Naegele, (Rhineland 

 or Prussian,) are very slightly larger than the 

 corresponding English ones. 



