Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-21
A SINGULAR DISEASE.
1t increases a Persons Size to EnOr-
nous Proportions.
From the New York Evening Post.


The recent death in Bellevue Hospital of
a policeman suffering from acromegalia, or
pathological g.gantism. calls attention to
the study made by the State Pathological
Institute Of this singular and rare disease.
In this particular instance the institute
was unable to add anything to its results,
inasmuch as the relatives of the policeman
prevented an autopsy. 1t was, however,
well-defined case of the disease the patient
continually increasing in size until his
heart succumbed to the abnormal growth.
Up to within a short time of his death he
continued IN the regular performance or
his duties as patrolman, experiencing ap-
parenIy little Inconvenience except through
the excessive enlargement of his head
hands and feet.
When the disease has become well adj
Vanced, one of its most characteristic man
ifestations is found in the hand. OF the
acromegalic hand there are two types. In
the tirst-the most common-the hand as
a whole is enlarged, but the enlargement is
proportionately much less in length than in
breadth. The general appea rance is Stumpy
and spade-lke. The fingers are consider
ably increased in circumference. and the
ends are bluntly rounded. The nails
short, and usually somewhat fiattened and
thin. The palm is much thickened, and is
often covered with beads of perspiratiOn.
In the second type the hand is well formed
but gigantic. The acromegaltc foot pre-
StIilS tIlt SAINT ClldIdCttFlSIlcS as tlt
as whole, 1t Is 'voluminous." The whole
head is enlarged. but the increase is most
marked in the face, the contour of which
becomes an elongated oval The most
striking changes are found in the jaws, and
especially the lower jaw, which, in nearly
every case, shows prognathism. becoming
massive and protrudng. The tongue Is
greatly enlarged, not only in thickness, but
laterally, so that the borders become in
denied by the teeth. The lips are thick,
and the corners Of the mouth are drawn
down. The ears, as a rule, show more
less hypertrophy. The general impression
of the face is massive. The emotions pro-
duce little change of features, the face
usually bearing stolid, passive and some
what melancholy expression. One side of
the body-usually the right-often shows
changes of greater degree than the other.
The movements are slow and clumsy. Vo-
calization is impaired and the voice often
becomes deep and heavy.
A probable discovery is that claimed by
Jaffray, that when persons not yet fully
grown are affected by aCromegalia they be
come giants, while those who have achieved
their full stature before the onset of the
disease are not usually rendered morbidly
gigantic. No cases of complete recovery
are reported, though in many cases, under
favorable conditions, the progress of the
disease appears to have been arrested, and
in these instances the patient may live out
the natural term of life. The malady gem
orally develops between the ages of nine
and tWenty-six. Its duration ranges from
three to thirty years. and death usually
results from some intercurrent affection
grated upon the weakened organism.