Arnoldus Boot, author of one of the first descriptions of rickets (1649) / [M.A. van Andel].

  • Andel, Martinus Antonie van, 1878-1941.
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Arnoldus Boot, author of one of the first descriptions of rickets (1649) / [M.A. van Andel]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Vesalius, Harvey, Morgagni and Laennec '), may however not forbear us to accept without any objection Glisson’s assertion, who declares in his introduction: “Qui velit attentius signa huius affectionis contemplari, facillime sibi persuadet, morbum esse pla¬ num novum, neque unquam fuisse a veteribus aut neotericis in libris suis practicis de morbis infantium hactenus divulgatis descriptum.” We may admit, that it will prove to be impossible, to discover in the books of any of his predecessors a description of rickets, which can be compared with that of Glisson and his cooperators, yet it will appear, not only, that there exist rather strong arguments of the prevalence of rickets in former centuries, but also, that many authors had given already a more or less accurate description of pathological conditions, connected with that disease. A detailed account of quotations, indicating with more or less certitude the existence of rickets, may be found in the articles of Ebstein 1 2) and Delpeuch 3), who have succeeded to demonstrate, that this disease probably existed already in classic times. I may refer here to quotations from Plato, who advises not to compel little children to walk, before they are strong enough, as they would run the risk to become bandy-legged and to one of the odes of Horatius, wherein he sketches children with curved legs and swollen ankles. Galen describes rather amply several bodily abnormalities of children, which may be imputed to a wrong treatment and an abnormal softness of the bony system. Among various difformities he mentions especially crooked legs, as caused by too early walking and the pigeon-breast and hump-back, which he ascribes to strong and faulty bandaging by their nurses 4). It is remarkable, that Soranus in his Gynaecology, in which he also describes such abnormalities of legs and spine, gives evidence of having an idea of the influence of unfavorable hy- 1) Address at the Meeting of the British Medical Association on the opening of the Section of Diseases of Children, 1883. 2) Wilhelm Ebstein. Ueber das Vorkommen rachitischer Skeletverancterungen im Altertum und Mittelalter, Virchow’s Archiv, Bd. 193, 1908. 3) Armand Delpeuch. Le rachitisme et la medecine ancienne. Presse medicale 102. 12 Dec. 1900. 4) Vide Delpeuch l.c.
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