Licence: In copyright
Credit: Clinical essays and lectures / by Howard Marsh. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)
31/340 (page 15)
![the other form of growth I have mentioned—that which is latent or in reserve—and by its means develops a buttress in the concavity of the curve {Fig. 4), which effectually prevents any further bend —in other words, any further divergence from the normal type. This reserve power of growth is present, it is interesting to notice, in a remarkable degree in plants.* ThusHegler found that the hypocoty] of a seedling sunflower, which would have been ruptured by a weight of 160 grms., bore a weight of 250 grms., after having been subjected for two days to the strain of a weight of 150 grms. The weight was subsequently increased to 400 grms. without injury. Leaf stalks of liellehorus nigm; which broke with a weight of 400 grms., were able to resist one of 3-5 kilogs., after having been subjected to a strain for about five days. This increased strength was acquired by the rapid growth of the mechanical tissues of the plant in the form of supporting buttresses. It must, however, be observed that although such a buttress (Fig. 4) prevents further deformity, it also prevents, or materially limits, the correction of the deformity already present by future growth,for it acts as a strong tie-beam, and, thus, often renders the cur- vature to a great extent permanent. These considera- tions have an important bearing on the treatment of deformities due to rickets. In their early stage these deformities can be easily limited or removed by treat- ment by which the rickety state is corrected, and by keeping the patient much off his feet, so that instead ° Henslow, loccll. p. 2)4.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21290714_0031.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
