80 ABNORMAL CONDITIONS OF THE LIMBS. 



b. Peromelia, Gurlt. 



Syn. Perochirus and Achirus, Gurlt. 

 Hemimele and Ectromele, Geoff. 



When the development of a limb, or a portion of a limb, is 

 arrested and the arrested portion undergoes atrophy a stump 

 is frequently left like that of an amputated limb. The process 

 is apparently the same as that which is seen in a less complete 

 stage in No. 309, 327, and 328. The remains of the atrophied 

 limb are usually apparent as a papilla upon the stump, showing 

 that the ordinary view, that such conditions arise from intra- 

 uterine amputation, is fallacious. Those who suppose the am- 

 putation to arise from ligature by the umbilical cord seem to 

 forget that the cord is a growing structure, and that it is so fre- 

 quently wound around the neck and body that amputations, not 

 only of the limbs but of the head, would be frequent, and slighter 

 effects of such constriction would occur in numerous cases. No 

 definite line can be drawn between the conditions classed under 

 the terms ischnomelia, peromelia, and amelia. Transitional con- 

 ditions are of frequent occurrence. 



333. A Human female foetus, about the fifth month of gestation. 



The left leg is deficient from the knee. It presents the 

 appearance of the stump of an amputation. There is also 

 defective development of the face and left anterior ex- 

 tremity. The left hand at first sight appears to have but 

 three digits, but on closer inspection two of these are 

 seen to be double. The manner in which these fingers 

 are flexed and adhere together throws considerable light 

 upon the condition exhibited by Nos. 352 and 353. 



334. The right leg of a foetus, of which the other three extre- 



mities exhibit the condition known as intra-uterine am- 

 putation (see Nos. 335, 336, 337). Only a single toe is 

 developed. The tibia is represented by a large mass of 

 cartilage, and a small cartilaginous nodule represents the 

 bones of the foot. The leg is much shortened and bent. 

 A section has been made to show the cartilages. 

 Arrest of differentiation of the same kind, affecting only a portion 

 of a segment in the limb, would give rise to fusion of the upper 

 part of the bones in the forearm or leg, either above or below. A 

 very interesting specimen of fusion of the upper part of the radius 



