anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第188部分

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excited　much　pity　and　made　a　good　business　by　showing　the　mutilated　stumps　of　his　legs；　and　the　feet　that　had　belonged　to　them　slung　about　his　neck。　While　one　day　scrambling　out　of　the　way　of　a　constable　who　had　forbidden　this　gruesome　spectacle；　he　was　knocked　down　by　a　carriage　in　the　streets　of　Shanghai；　and　was　taken　to　the　hospital；　where　he　was　questioned　about　the　accident　which　deprived　him　of　his　feet。　After　selling　the　medical　attendant　his　feet　he　admitted　that　he　had　purposely　performed　the　amputations　himself；　starting　about　a　year　previously。　He　had　fastened　cords　about　his　ankles；　drawing　them　as　tightly　as　he　could　bear　them；　and　increasing　the　pressure　every　two　or　three　days。　For　a　fortnight　his　pain　was　extreme；　but　when　the　bones　were　bared　his　pains　ceased。　At　the　end　of　a　month　and　a　half　he　was　able　to　entirely　remove　his　feet　by　partly　snapping　and　partly　cutting　the　dry　bone。　Such　cases　appear　to　be　quite　common　in　China；　and　by　investigation　many　parallels　could　elsewhere　be　found。

The　Chinese　custom　of　foot…binding　is　a　curious　instance　of　self…mutilation。　In　a　paper　quoted　in　the　Philadelphia　Medical　Times；　January　31；　1880；　a　most　minute　account　of　the　modus　operandi；　the　duration；　and　the　suffering　attendant　on　this　process　are　given。　Strapping　of　the　foot　by　means　of　tight　bandages　requires　a　period　of　two　or　three　years'　continuance　before　the　desired　effect　is　produced。　There　is　a　varying　degree　of　pain；　which　is　most　severe　during　the　first　year　and　gradually　diminishes　after　the　binding　of　all　the　joints　is　completed。　During　the　binding　the　girl　at　night　lies　across　the　bed；　putting　her　legs　on　the　edge　of　the　bed…stead　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　pressure　under　the　knees；　thus　benumbing　the　parts　below　and　avoiding　the　major　degree　of　pain。　In　this　position；　swinging　their　legs　backward　and　forward；　the　poor　Chinese　girls　pass　many　a　weary　night。　During　this　period　the　feet　are　unbound　once　a　month　only。　The　operation　is　begun　by　placing　the　end　of　a　long；　narrow　bandage　on　the　inside　of　the　instep　and　carrying　it　over　the　four　smaller　toes；　securing　them　under　the　foot。　After　several　turns　the　bandage　is　reversed　so　as　to　compress　the　foot　longitudinally。　The　young　girl　is　then　left　for　a　month；　and　when　the　bandage　is　removed　the　foot　is　often　found　gangrenous　and　ulcerated；　one　or　two　toes　not　infrequently　being　lost。　If　the　foot　is　thus　bound　for　two　years　it　becomes　virtually　dead　and　painless。　By　this　time　the　calf　disappears　from　lack　of　exercise；　the　bones　are　attenuated；　and　all　the　parts　are　dry　and　shrivelled。　In　after…life　the　leg　frequently　regains　its　muscles　and　adipose　tissue；　but　the　foot　always　remains　small。　The　binding　process　is　said　to　exert　a　markedly　depressing　influence　upon　the　emotional　character　of　the　subject；　which　lasts　through　life；　and　is　very　characteristic。

To　show　how　minute　some　of　the　feet　of　the　Chinese　women　are；　Figure　I　of　the　accompanying　plate；　taken　from　a　paper　by　Kenthughes　on　the　〃Feet　of　Chinese　Ladies〃　is　from　a　photograph　of　a　shoe　that　measured　only　3　1/4　inches　anteroposteriorly。　The　foot　which　it　was　intended　to　fill　must　have　been　smaller　still；　for　the　bandage　would　take　up　a　certain　amount　of　space。　Figure　II　is　a　reproduction　of　a　photograph　of　a　foot　measuring　5　1/2　inches　anteroposteriorly；　the　wrinkled　appearance　of　the　skin　being　due　to　prolonged　immersion　in　spirit。　This　photograph　shows　well　the　characteristics　of　the　Chinese　footthe　prominent　and　vertically　placed　heel；　which　is　raised　generally　about　an　inch　from　the　level　of　the　great　toe；　the　sharp　artificial　cavus；　produced　by　the　altered　position　of　the　os　calcis；　and　the　downward　deflection　of　the　foot　in　front　of　the　mediotarsal　joint；　the　straight　and　downward　pointing　great　toe；　and　the　infolding　of　the　smaller　toes　underneath　the　great　toe。　In　Figure　III　we　have　a　photograph　of　the　skeleton　of　a　Chinese　lady's　foot　about　five　inches　in　anteroposterior　diameter。　The　mesial　axis　of　the　os　calcis　is　almost　directly　vertical；　with　a　slight　forward　inclination；　forming　a　right　angle　with　the　bones　in　front　of　the　mediotarsal　joint。　The　upper　three…quarters　of　the　anterior　articular　surface　of　the　calcis　is　not　in　contact　with　the　cuboid；　the　latter　being　depressed　obliquely　forward　and　downward；　the　lower　portion　of　the　posterior　facet　on　the　cuboid　articulating　with　a　new　surface　on　the　under　portion　of　the　bone。　The　general　shape　of　the　bone　closely　resembles　that　of　a　normal　onea　marked　contrast　to　its　wasted　condition　and　tapering　extremity　in　paralytic　calcaneus。　Extension　and　flexion　at　the　ankle　are　only　limited　by　the　shortness　of　the　ligaments；　there　is　no　opposition　from　the　conformation　of　the　bones。　The　astragalus　is　almost　of　normal　shape；　the　trochlea　is　slightly　prolonged　anteriorly；　especially　on　the　inner　side；　from　contact　with　the　tibial　articular　surface。　The　cartilage　on　the　exposed　posterior　portion　of　the　trochlea　seems　healthy。　The　head　of　the　astragalus　is　very　prominent　on　the　outer　side；　the　scaphoid　being　depressed　downward　and　inward　away　from　it。　The　anterior　articular　surface　is　prolonged　in　the　direction　of　the　displaced　scaphoid。　The　scaphoid；　in　addition　to　its　displacement；　is　much　compressed　on　the　planter　surface；　being　little　more　than　one…half　the　width　of　the　dorsal　surface。　The　cuboid　is　displaced　obliquely　downward　and　forward；　so　that　the　upper　part　of　the　posterior　articular　surface　is　not　in　contact　with　the　calcis。

A　professional　leg…breaker　is　described　in　the　Weekly　Medical　Review　of　St。　Louis；　April；　1890。　This　person's　name　was　E。　L。　Landers；　and　he　was　accredited　with　earning　his　living　by　breaking　or　pretending　to　break　his　leg　in　order　to　collect　damages　for　the　supposed　injury。　Moreover；　this　individual　had　but　one　leg；　and　was　compelled　to　use　crutches。　At　the　time　of　report　he　had　succeeded　in　obtaining　damages　in　Wichita；　Kansas；　for　a　supposed　fracture。　The　Review　quotes　a　newspaper　account　of　this　operation　as　follows。

〃According　to　the　Wichita　Dispatch　he　represented　himself　as　a　telegraph　operator　who　was　to　have　charge　of　the　postal　telegraph　office　in　that　city　as　soon　as　the　line　reached　there。　He　remained　about　town　for　a　month　until　he　found　an　inviting　piece　of　defective　sidewalk；　suitable　for　his　purpose；　when　he　stuck　his　crutch　through　the　hole　and　fell　screaming　to　the　ground；　declaring　that　he　had　broken　his　leg。　He　was　carried　to　a　hospital；　and　after　a　week's　time；　during　which　he　negotiated　a　compromise　with　the　city　authorities　and　collected　1000　damages；　a　confederate；　claiming　to　be　his　nephew；　appeared　and　took　the　wounded　man　away　on　a　stretcher；　saying　that　he　was　going　to　St。　Louis。　Before　the　train　was　fairly　out　of　Wichita；　Landers　was　laughing　and　boasting　over　his　successful　scheme　to　beat　the　town。　The　Wichita　story　is　in　exact　accord　with　the　artistic　methods　of　a　one…legged　sharper　who　about　1878　stuck　his　crutch　through　a　coal…hole　here；　and；　falling　heels　over　head；　claimed　to　have　sustained　injuries　for　which　he　succeeded　in　collecting　something　like　1500　from　the　city。　He　is　described　as　a　fine…　looking　fellow；　well　dressed；　and　wearing　a　silk　hat。　He　lost　one　leg　in　a　railroad　accident；　and　having　collected　a　good　round　sum　in　damages　for　it；　adopted　the　profession　of　leg…breaking　in　order　to　earn　a　livelihood。　He　probably　argued　that　as　he　had　made　more　money　in　that　line　than　in　any　other　he　was　especially　fitted　by　natural　talents　to　achieve　distinction　in　this　direction。　But　as　it　would　be　rather　awkward　to　lose　his　remaining　leg　altogether　he　modified　the　idea　and　contents　himself　with　collecting　the　smaller　amounts　which　ordinary　fractures　of　the　hip…joint　entitle　such　an　expert　'fine　worker'　to　receive。

〃He　first　appeared　here　in　1874　and　succeeded；　it　is　alleged；　in　beating　the　Life　Association　of　America。　After　remaining　for　some　time　in　the　hospital　he　was　removed　on　a　stretcher　to　an　Illinois　village；　from　which　point　the　negotiations　for　damages　were　conducted　by　correspondence；　until　finally　a　point　of　agreement　was　reached　and　an　agent　of　the　company　was　sent　to　pay　him　the　money。　This　being　accomplished　the　agent　returned　to　the　depot　to　take　the　train　back　to　St。　Louis　when　he　was　surprised　to　see　the　supposed　sufferer　stumping　around　on　his　crutches　on　the　depot　platform；　laughing　and　jesting　over　the　ease　with　which　he　had　beaten　the　corporation。

〃He　afterward　fell　off　a　Wabash　train　at　Edwardsville　and　claimed　to　have　sustained　serious　injuries；　but　in　this　case　the　company's　attorneys　beat　him　and　proved　him　to　be　an　impostor。　In　1879　he　stumbled　into　the　telegraph　office　at　the　Union　Depot　here；　when　Henry　C。　Mahoney；　the　superintendent；　catching　sight　of　him；　put　him　out；　with　the　curt　remark　that　he　didn't　want　him　to　stick　that　crutch　into　a　cuspidor　and　fall　down；　as　it　was　too　expensive　a　performance　for　the　company　to　stand。　He　beat　the　Missouri　Pacific　and　several　other　railroads　and　municipalities　at　different　times；　it　is　claimed；　and　manages　to　get　enough　at　each　successful　venture　to　carry　him　along　for　a　year　or　eighteen　months；　by　which　time　the　memory　of　his　trick　fades　out　of　the　public　mind；　when　he　again　bobs　up　serenely。〃

Anomalous　Suicides。The　literature　on　suicide　affords　many　instances　of　self…mutilations　and　ingenious　modes　of　producing　death。　In　the　Dublin　Medical　Press　for　1854　there　is　an　extraordinary　case　of　suicide；　in　which　the　patient　thrust　a　red…hot　poker　into　his　abdomen　and　subsequently　pulled　it　out；　detaching　portions　of　the　omentum　and　32　inches　of　the　colon。　Another　suicide　in　Great　Britain　swallowed　a　red…hot　poker。　In　commenting　on　suicides；　in　1835；　Arntzenius　speaks　of　an　ambitious　Frenchman　who　was　desirous　of　leaving　the　world　in　a　distinguished　manner；　and　who　attached　himself　to　a　rocket　of　enormous　size　which　he　had　built　for　the　purpose；　and　setting　fire　to　it；　ended　his　life。　On　September　28；　1895；　according　to　the　Gaulois　and　the　New　York　Herald　（Paris　edition）　of　that　date；　there　was　admitted　to　the　Hopital　St。　Louis　a　clerk；　aged　twenty…five；　whom　family　troubles　had　rendered　desperate　and　who　had　determined　to　seek　death　as　a　relief　from　his　misery。　Reviewing　the　various　methods　of　committing　suicide