The Toner lectures ... / by Harrison Allen.

  • Allen, Harrison, 1841-1897.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Toner lectures ... / by Harrison Allen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    measurement than to other craniological lines into which the teeth may enter. It is also difficult to determine the anterior limit of the line extending from the vault of the naso-pharynx to the anterior nasal aperture (pharyngo-narial line), for the reason that the depth of the soft parts covering the nasal aperture is variable; but such an ending is not more inconstant than that of the anterior nasal spine, which is relied upon generally as a point from which meas- urements may be taken. The individual who furnished these measurements had a high basi-cranial angle. Indeed, it was im- possible to inspect the vault of the pharynx of this subject with satisfaction, since the anterior position of the body of the axis con- joining with the acute angle of the vault made it difficult to depress the mirror so as to obtain a satisfactory image of the space. In addition to the above the following observations were made: The lower jaw with marked outward deflection of the left angle; the antegonial depression marked ; the mentum high; the bregmal depression'marked; the post-coronal depression absent; the deep depression in the region of the obelion present; the para-tuberal and meso-lambdoidal eminences well developed. It is submitted that a series of measurements made on this simple scheme might yield interesting results. The material I have col- lected is insufficient for study at this time. The study of the skull in children often throws light upon the nature of morbid processes. In this connection I have special ref- erence to minor changes, some of them, indeed, so slight as to escape notice if the standards of comparison be those which the observer is usually expected to entertain—such, for example, if the gross changes recognized as cretinic, hydrocephalic, etc., be selected as basis for study. I allude more particularly to such appearances as would follow a delayed disappearance of the anterior fontanel, the result of which is a saucer-shaped concavity at the anterior portion of the vertex. Another peculiarity is an unduly marked convexity on either side of the sagittal depression. This need not be suffi- cient to constitute the natiform skull (see page 56), but to suggest