BONE, PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF. 439 



As life advances, the osseous system un- we cordially agree in the opinion j being 

 dergoes many obvious alterations. The satisfied that the results of chemical or me- 

 shape of some bones is altered : the natural chanical enquiries, however true in themselves, 

 curvatures of the long bones, for example, are will always be insufficient to explain the ope- 

 increased ; the direction of the processes and rations carried on within a living body, 

 parts of others is changed, the most remarkable Having offered these preliminary remarks, 

 example of which occurs in the neck of the we proceed with an attempt at an arrangement 

 thigh-bone ; and their powers of affording sup- of the pathology of the osseous system, fully 

 port and resisting violence are obviously en- aware, indeed, that every classification of dis- 

 feebled. This senile fragility has been gene- ease must be more or less artificial, and, there- 

 rally supposed to arise from an increase in the fore, open to objection. Perhaps it may be 

 earthy material of the bones. The opinion, advantageously considered under the three fol- 

 hovvever, has not been invariably borne out by lowing heads. 1. Cases in which there is a 

 the results of chemical analysis of bones at real or supposed derangement or imperfection 

 different periods of life, and has been objected in the processes carried' on within the bone 

 to by M. Ribes,* who, after extensive obser- itself in order to its maintenance in the 

 vation and enquiry, was led to believe " that normal or healthy condition. 2. Cases in 

 the fragility of bones depended essentially on which there is inflammation of the bone, 

 a change of action being established within whether produced by injury, appearing idio- 

 them, and that all the parts entering into the pathically, or connected with some specific 

 texture of bones are really in less quantity in taint. The pathological conditions of the pe- 

 the aged than in younger individuals." If riosteum are so intimately connected with this 

 by " a change of action" in the above passage part of the subject, that some reference to its 

 is meant that gradual decrease of the vital diseases must of necessity be made. 3. Cases 

 properties observed in every organ and in every in which there is alteration of the original struc- 

 tissue as man declines into the vale of years, ture or development of a new one ; as thus : 



DISEASES OF THE OSSEOUS SYSTEM. 



CLASS i. Derangements of internal functions. 



a. Deficiency of the calca- 



reous deposit Rachitis. 



b. Superabundance of the 



calcareous deposit ..Fragility. 



c. Absorption of the calca- 



reous deposit Mollities. 



d. Absorption of both con- 



stituents Atrophy. 



CLASS ir. Inflammation. 



a. Simple inflammation . .Adhesion Union of fracture. 



Suppuration Abscess in bone. 



Ulceration Caries. 



Mortification Exfoliation. 



Death with regeneration Necrosis. 



b. Specific inflammation . . Scrofula Absorption of cancelli. 



Deposit of a cheesy 

 substance. 



Softening of the bone. 



Abscess. 



Caries. 



Syphilis Deposit of fluid between 



the periosteum and 

 bone. Node. 



Caries. 

 CLASS in. Structural diseases. 



a. Spina ventosa Development of a new cavity within a 



bone, with unnatural contents. 



b. Exostosis Growth of a tumour in or from a bone, 



which may consist of Bone. 



Cartilage. 



Both structures mixed. 



c. Osteo-sarcoma Alteration of structure with deposit of 



a new material. 



d. Cancer.f 



e. Fungus haematodes.f 



f. Bloody cellulated tu- 

 mour within bone. 



We refer our readers for a summary of M. Ribes' opinions, &c. lo the Dictionnaire des Sciences 

 Mrdicales, yol. xxxviii. p. 456 et seq. 

 t These diseases are generally, if not always, propagated from a jacent parts or structures. 



