The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-25
GREAT STATURE A DISEASE.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ANOMA-
LIES FREQUENT AMONG GIANTS.

LIES FREQUENT AMONG GIANTS.
The Large Being Exempt From Bodily
Defects and Superior in Height,
Strength and Vital Resistance is an
Ideal Creature, Myth.
Great height, or giantism. has been
regarded by many authorities as
disease, or at least an abnormal con-
dition. Some recent authorities are
identifying it with acromegaly, or en-
largement of the extremities, defor-
nifty marked by huge Jaws, hands, and
feet and often by a bumped back.
1t has been shown that abnormal sta
ture is often followed by this condi-
ton which may be only later stage
of the same malady, says a writer in
the Revue Scientifque.
"An interesting paper on giants has
just been read by M. Henry Meige be-
fore the Congress Of Alienists and
Neurclogists. The author at the out
set, recalls the fact that an original
genius once had plan to encourage
marriage between individuals Of gi-
gantic stature Did he realize that
he would thus be encouraging the
preparation of a monstrosity?
1.-The giant exempt from all physi-
cal defects, and superior at once in
height, strength, and vital resistance,
is an ideal being, myth. In fact, M.
Meige shows that gigantism is really
monstrosity and a disease. Obser-
vations of giants, collected by scienti-
fic investigators, show the frequency
of physical and mental anomalies
among them; historic giants were far
from being superior in all respects.
I'VE know nothing of Goliath ex-
cept his stature, but giant mention
ed in Kings had supernumerary fin
gers. Now polydactylism: is one Of
the most conspicuous stigmata Of de-
generacy. Barcel Dounat saw at Mi
Ian giant who slept in two beds
placed end to end, but this long man
could not stand upright. William
Evans, the gigantic porter of Charles
l., was without strength; the porter
of Cromwell, also giant, was con-
fined in a lunatic asylum. The Irish
man O'Brien was like a huge, sick
child that had grown too quickly.
These examples could be multiplied.
They show that degenerative symp-
toms of all sorts, accidents that real
ly deserve to be called pathalogic, are
the most frequent attendants of indl-
viduals of colossal stature.
"Of course there are exceptions; but
the individual of very great stature
who is we'll constituted physically and
psychially IS very rare. The rule Is
precisely the reverse. =
Not taking bony deformations into
consideration, we can not but be
struck with the similarity Of the gen.
eral symptoms that have been noted in
giants and in persons suffering from
acromegaly; headache, pain in the
legs, sexual torpor, muscular weak
Eess, varicose veins, abundant sweat,
abnormal thirst, change of color OF the
skin, troubles of the sense-organs, a
low physical and mental tone, etc.
In all these particulars, gigantism and
acromegaly tend to similarity.
There are giants who never become
acromegalic; there are acromegalics
who are not Of great stature. But in
numerous cases giants become aero
megalic.
"Messrs, Brissaud and Henry Meige
have already insisted on the relation
ship of these abnormalities. Accord
ing to P. Marie, acromegaly and gi-
gantism are not identical pathologic
states. but acromegaly is one of the
factors of gigantism. Nevertheless,
Sternberg's statistics show that half
the giants are acromegalic.
"There are very serious reasons for
believing that gigantism and acromeg-
ally are only two successive stages OF
the same development trouble. Z.
NJ. Meige maintains that gigantism
shows itself in the period of growth
and acromegaly when this period is
ended. In numerous observations the
appearance of the first symptoms OF
acromegaly was preceded by a period
of over rapid growth in stature, some:
times gigantic. In other words, a
tendency to gigantism often precedes
acromegaly. Besides, when acromeg-
ally has once established itself it may
be that no appearance of gigantism
remains; the height has been reduced
by determinations Of the vertebral COL
umn.
"Another argument is that there are
a great number of observed cases Of
acromegaly when great height has
been shown to exist in ancestors or
relatives
FINALLY cases have been reported
where acromegaly, as is often the case
with gigantism, is hereditary.
I'M. Meige believes that all these
observations tend to show that giants
are particularly apt to. become aero
megalic. Altho not fatal this destiny
nevertheless ought to be taken into
consideration, for, not to mention the
general disorders of which acromega-
lies are sometimes victims, it is not
desirable that we should seek to pro-
pagate a race with deformed faces,
huge jaws, great fists and feet, and
above all, bumped backs. ."-Transla-
ton made for The Literary Digest.
This Man Dared Not Smile.