The statistics of this major operation show a surprisingly small
mortality. Fayrer operated on 28 patients with 22 recoveries and
six deaths, one from shock and five from pyemia The same surgeon
collected 193 cases, and found the general mortality to be 18 per
cent. According to Ashhurst, Turner, who practiced as a medical
missionary in the Samoan Islands, claims to have operated 136
times with only two deaths. McLeod, Fayrer's successor in India,
reported 129 cases with 23 deaths.
Early in this century Rayer described a case of elephantiasis in
a boy of seventeen who, after several attacks of erysipelas,
showed marked diminution of the elephantoid change; the fact
shows the antagonism of the streptococcus erysipelatis to
hypertrophic and malignant processes.
Acromegaly is a term introduced by Marie, and signifies large
extremities. It is characterized by an abnormally large
development of the extremities and of the features of the
face,--the bony as well as the soft parts. In a well-marked case
the hands and feet are greatly enlarged, but not otherwise
deformed, and the normal functions are not disturbed. The
hypertrophy involves all the tissues, giving a curious spade-like
appearance to the hands.
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