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In the records of enormous dropsies much material of interest is to be found； and a few of the most interesting cases on record will be cited。 In the older times； when the knowledge of the etiology and pathology of dropsies was obscure； we find the records of the most extraordinary cases。 Before the Royal Society； in 1746； Glass of Oxford read the report of a case of preternatural size of the abdomen； and stated that the dropsy was due to the absence of one kidney。 The circumference of the abdomen was six feet four inches； and the distance from the xiphoid to the os pubis measured four feet 1/2 inch。 In this remarkable case 30 gallons of fluid were drawn off from the abdomen after death。 Bartholinus mentions a dropsy of 120 pounds； and Gockelius one of 180 pounds； there is recorded an instance of a dropsy of 149 pounds。 There is an old record of a woman of fifty who had suffered from ascites for thirty years。 She had been punctured 154 times； and each time about 20 pints were drawn off。 During each of two pregnancies she was punctured three or four times； one of her children was still living。 It has been said that there was a case in Paris of a person who was punctured 300 times for ascites。 Scott reports a case of ascites in which 928 pints of water were drawn off in 24 successive tappings； from February； 1777； to May； 1778。 Quoted by Hufeland； Van Wy mentions 1256 pounds of fluid being drawn from the abdomen of a woman in five years。 Kaltschmid describes a case of ascites in which； in 12 paracenteses； 500 pounds of fluid were removed。 In 1721 Morand reported two cases of ascites in one of which； by the means of 57 paracenteses； 970 pounds of fluid were drawn off in twenty…two months。 In the other case 1708 pounds of fluid issued in ten months。 There is a record of 484 pounds of 〃pus〃 being discharged during a dropsy。
The Philosophical Transactions contain the account of a case of hydronephrosis in which there were 240 pounds of water in the sac。 There are several cases on record in which ovarian dropsies have weighed over 100 pounds； and Blanchard mentions a uterine dropsy of 80 pounds。
The Ephemerides contains an account of a case of hydrocephalus in which there were 24 pounds of fluid； and similar cases have been noted。
Elliotson reports what he calls the largest quantity of pus from the liver on record。 His patient was a man of thirty…eight； a victim of hydatid disease of the liver； from whom he withdrew one gallon of offensive material。
Lieutaud cites a case； reported by Blanchard； in which； in a case of hydatid disease； the stomach contained 90 pounds of fluid。
Ankylosis of the articulations； a rare and curious anomaly； has been seen in the human fetus by Richaud； Joulin； Bird； and Becourt。 Ankylosis of all the joints； with muscular atrophy； gives rise to a condition that has been popularly termed 〃ossified man。〃 A case of this nature is described； the patient being a raftsman； aged seventeen； who suffered with inflammatory symptoms of the right great toe； which were followed in the next ten years by progressive involvement of all the joints of the extremities； and of the vertebrae and temporo…maxillary articulations； with accompanying signs of acute articular rheumatism。 At the age of thirty…one the pains had subsided； leaving him completely disabled。 All the joints except the fingers and toes had become ankylosed； and from nonusage the muscles had atrophied。 There were no dislocations； anesthesia； or bedsores； and the viscera were normal； there were apparently no gouty deposits； as an examination of the urine was negative。
J。 R。 Bass； the well…known 〃ossified man〃 of the dime museums； has been examined by many physicians； and was quite intelligent and cheerful in spite of his complete ankylosis。 Figure 269 represents his appearance in 1887。
Percy speaks of a man named Simoore； born in 1752； who at the age of fifteen was afflicted with ankylosis of all the joints； and at different angles He was unable to move even his jaw； and his teeth had to be extracted in order to supply him with nourishment。 Even his ribs were ankylosed； his chest puffed up； and the breathing was entirely abdominal。 In spite of his infirmities； after his pains had ceased he lived a comparatively comfortable life。 His digestion was good； and his excretory functions were sufficient。 The urine always showed phosphates； and never the slightest sign of free phosphoric acid。 He still retained his sexual feeling； and occasionally had erections。 This man died in 1802 at the age of fifty； asphyxia being the precursor of death。 His skeleton was deposited in the Museum of the ecole de Medecine de Paris。 In the same Museum there was another similar skeleton； but in this subject there was motion of the head upon the first vertebra； the lower jaw was intact； and the clavicle； arms； and some of the digits of the right hand were movable。
An ossified man has been recently found and exhibited to the Paris Academy of Medicine。 He is a Roumanian Jew of thirty who began to ossify twelve years ago； first up the right side of his back； then down the left side。 He has hardened now to the nape of the neck； his head is turned to the left； and the jaws are ankylosed。 He can still move his arms and legs a little with great difficulty。
Akin to the foregoing condition is what is known as petrifaction or ossification of portions of the living human body other than the articulations。 Of the older writers Hellwigius； Horstius； and Schurig speak of petrifaction of the arm。 In the Philosophical Transactions there was a case recorded in which the muscles and ligaments were so extensively converted into bone that all the joints were fixed； even including the vertebrae； head； and lower jaw。 In a short time this man was； as it were； one single bone from his head to his knees； the only joints movable being the right wrist and knee。 For over a century there has been in the Trinity College at Dublin the skeleton of a man who died about 20 miles from the city of Cork。 The muscles about the scapula； and the dorsum of the ilium （the glutei） were converted into great masses of bone； equal to the original muscles in thickness and bulk。 Half of the muscles of the hips and thighs were converted into bone； and for a long time this specimen was the leading curiosity of the Dublin Museum。 In the Isle of Man； some years ago； there was a case of ossification which continued progressively for many years。 Before death this man was reduced to almost a solid mass of bony substance。 With the exception of one or two toes his entire frame was solidified。 He was buried in Kirk Andreas Churchyard； and his grave was strictly guarded against medical men by his friends； but the body was finally secured and taken to Dublin by Dr。 McCartney。
Calculi。In reviewing the statistics of vesical calculi； the strangest anomalies in their size and weight have been noticed。 Among the older writers the largest weights have been found。 Le Cat speaks of a calculus weighing over three pounds； and Morand is accredited with having seen a calculus which weighed six pounds。 In his statistics in 1883 Cross collected reports on 704 stones； and remarked that only nine of these weighed above four ounces； and