Progressive muscular dystrophy : comparisons of some of the varieties with each other, and with progressive muscular atrophy / by J.H. Crocker.

  • Crocker, J. H (John Hedley)
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Progressive muscular dystrophy : comparisons of some of the varieties with each other, and with progressive muscular atrophy / by J.H. Crocker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    hand muscles seem normal. In other parts almost identical with his brother, excepting calves not so thick. Face.—Actions normal, except that he cannot raise the angles of his mouth as in laughing. Action of Muscles.—Not so weak as his brother. Deltoids have great resisting power. Triceps very strong. Supination a little weak. No affection of fingers. Measurements.—Shoulder, 9 inches, left; 9 inches, right. Arm 6^ inches, left ; 6£ inches, right. Forearm, inches, left; 6£ inches, right. Thigh (middle), nf inches, left ; 12 inches, right. Calf, 10 inches, left; gf inches, right. Electrical re-action, sensation, reflexes, etc., same as brother, excepting a slight knee-jerk. Mode of standing, walking, sitting, and getting up from the recumbent position is the same as that of his brother, except that he can rise without artificial aid. His manner of raising himself is typical, and well illustrates the two distinct actions of the hands and arms on the thighs. Appended are some snap- shots I took of him to illustrate this. As they show, the patient's first action on rising from the ground is to put his hands on his knees and lean forwards, which admits of extension of the knees. Next he grasps the thighs and gradually climbs up them, pushing up the body, and then, generally, the weak Glutei and back muscles can complete the extension of the body on the thighs. The explanation of this is that in the first action, where extension of the knee is required, we have to deal with a lever of the third kind, where the fulcrum is at the knee, the weight at the other end of the femur, and the mean position in which the power is applied in the middle (Quadriceps Femoris). By putting the hands on the knees just above the fulcrum and leaning forward, the weight is transmitted through the hands to close above the fulcrum, converting the action into that of a lever of the second kind. If the head be carried further forward and downward, the weight of this may bring the Gluteal region up without the aid of the Quadriceps Femoris.