The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-07
CARING FOR THE FUTURE.
pEyorxr1rKs or CHILDREN

| DEs0RMr1IEs or CHILDREN
Feet. n. Mother. who weusd Sec rhes~
ChiAren Become viSorows nrn sns Womeh'
From Brsyhosi.
Years ago. In Paris. Chauvisser made some
Investigations to ascertain what proportion OF
children were born deformed. and no made
record of the fact that out OF 23.UOO newborn
infants only 132 were In any way abnormal.
Even this small percentage did not come
within the definition OF ordinary deformitles.
as they we're actual monstrosities. In no ways
resembling the greater or less deviations
from tho normal that We generally include
under our term Other observers have noted
similar facts. indicating that nature givos her
children fair chance. SO far As their actual
conformation IL concerned and that We must
look 10 other than prenatal Influences to ex-
plain the occurrence OF the deformities and
tendencies to unequal development that we ac-
tually ind In later life. 49,.
Tho deformities Of children may be either
congcnital or acquired. OF these oonGcnital
deformities. among which Is that known As
talipss. or club-foot. which panifests itself In
several different forms. and also certain de-
formities which originate nom congehttal
nervous LESSONS resulting In various paralysis
we shall not speak. Put by far the larger pro-
portion Of tho deformities Of children are. as
we should anticipate from De Chauvisser's
statistics. acquired through disease or acci-
dent: and as these are. to certain extent
preventable they seem naturally to claim the
larger share OF our attention here.
There nre two diseases very prevalent
among children which are practically respon.
sible for the majority Of deiormities among
them. excluding those which are congenital
or the direct result Of accident. and these
diseases are rac hitis. commonly called ricketts,.
andtuberculosis. Both Of these diseases are
constitutional affections. and It Is partially
true that child may have either one OF those
and not present any marked deformity. Tu-
berculosis, 1t Is known. may develop In the
lungs alone, or In the brain. causing menin-
gifts or other ser ious affection. and yet give
no external sign Of its presence. But on tho
other hand. some Of the most serious bone
diseases among children. such as Pott's dis
case Of the spine. or hip-joint disease, or knee-
Joint disease. which are some Of tbs most dc.
forming affections common to childhood. are
In many cases only the manifestation OF tuber.
cuiosis which has been unexpected until dis
Sanerui trace sv In shortened leg, or . curved
SHINE. or Ufe-lohg lameness. 49,,
kicketS may be present to mild degree
gestien and fretininess in the infant and late
sssana e Il sTns
enced eye may discern some slight deyistions
n the ,s1s the ribs Sss tns o se &
nSe esiasnSe et is asios@ins s IN
mon pens the zones ss'f the he head The
radins or lower arm. the ribs, the breast bone.
SPINE s and u II tue s SNe. ia
to these changes In the ends Of the ribs, and
The ribs. s a. they swing around from the spine
to become attached In front to the breast
sss nsSs HH IN os sa ss .xst q
ineh or more. Al this point OF juncture the
ends OF the ribs In rachitio children swell.
caisd Seaded sppear ~ The bpnes
being softened from disease. are unable to
shsy a. IN S
often fattened or depressed. while the breast
bone may be- unnaturally prominent giving
as 81 to-
one-sided deiormity. Of the chest. the ribs on
one side only presenting the anomaly referred
and the Other iattened. with or without the
pigeon: breast. detormitY. These cases are gen !.
s e sh % Ss s
which certain degree q chest deformity 10
81 sses sat hf w III which ss' Sss
was no trace OF any spine deviation :,
Severe cases Of Pleurisy in weakly children
changes 10 the shape OF the chest, Here the
lung. which has been embarrassed BY the u.
qP hs Sua in fss sna hs
retrae.ed lung This tyre Of chest deformity
a more acute form. where the bone changes
TAD paa
BE- oonssitStionsi disease d due to mainutri.
is not solely q disease of the bones, but its
traces arc >. most readily and mSst RE-
as Some .e' believe. int Solely esused
child. who is, Improperly fed on. diet con;
tactic acid which dissoiyss the bone salts as
ments Undue pro p Ia the skelstop e, Or
may also be induced by impure air and a
nifty element iood or AV Wssther OF some sne
OF the other theories about it are the correct
proper feeding Of infants is generally believed
TO 30 aEreat cause Of its occurrence. eoljoined
sested: and praesicsl i the softened Bones.
permitting. under e1couragtng circumstances.
unayen and one.sided or unsymmetrical de-
unsymmetrical Development among children.
Knock knees and bow legs are two Of the.
1uently seen with boys. but this Is part partly on
seeopnt Of their dress. which exhibits the de-
Tas 6qTbn I'm mag be Sr to
tend to the lower part. or may include both. 1t
Is not necessarily due to early walking. In
deed. It IL stated by some observers that boy
ers. tho vigor and love for ectivity which char
seterizes children who walk early being COM
monty absent In sufferers from rachitis
In many Of these cases there seems TO be
relaxed condition of the muscles OF the legs,
d another direction according to the iir rec
tion OF least resistance. In some cases the
muscles are In q state OF tonic contraction,
iine. bowling them forward or outward. some.
times even backward. as the case may be.
among children. although It is the most
common one. Il Is probable that chill
dren who have never had ricketts, may &c
stand. in earliest infancy. although. as
already said. this l. not the most com