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ith a considerable tail。 The 〃Moi Boy〃 was a lad of twelve； who was found in Cochin China； with a tail a foot long which was simply a mass of flesh。 Miller tells of a West Point student who had an elongation of the coccyx； forming a protuberance which bulged very visibly under the skin。 Exercise at the riding school always gave him great distress； and the protuberance would often chafe until the skin was broken； the blood trickling into his boots。
Bartels presents a very complete article in which he describes 21 persons born with tails； most of the tails being merely fleshy protuberances。 Darwin speaks of a person with a fleshy tail and refers to a French article on human tails。
Science contains a description of a negro child born near Louisville； eight weeks old； with a pedunculated tail 2 1/2 inches long； with a base 1 1/4 inches in circumference。 The tail resembled in shape a pig's tail and had grown 1/4 inch since birth。 It showed no signs of cartilage or bone； and had its origin from a point slightly to the left of the median line and about an inch above the end of the spinal column。
Dickinson recently reported the birth of a child with a tail。 It was a well…developed female between 5 1/2 and six pounds in weight。 The coccyx was covered with the skin on both the anterior and posterior surfaces。 It thus formed a tail of the size of the nail of the little finger； with a length of nearly 3/16 inch on the inner surface and 3/8 inch on the rear surface。 This little tip could be raised from the body and it slowly sank back。
In addition to the familiar caudal projection of the human fetus； Dickinson mentions a group of other vestigial remains of a former state of things。 Briefly these are：
（1） The plica semilunaris as a vestige of the nictitating membrane of certain birds。
（2） The pointed ear； or the turned…down tip of the ears of many men。
（3） The atrophied muscles； such as those that move the ear； that are well developed in certain people； or that shift the scalp； resembling the action of a horse in ridding itself of flies。
（4） The supracondyloid foremen of the humerus。
（5） The vermiform appendix。
（6） The location and direction of the hair on the trunk and limbs。
（7） The dwindling wisdom…teeth。
（8） The feet of the fetus strongly deflected inward； as in the apes； and persisting in the early months of life； together with great mobility and a distinct projection of the great toe at an angle from the side of the foot。
（9） The remarkable grasping power of the hand at birth and for a few weeks thereafter； that permits young babies to suspend their whole weight on a cane for a period varying from half a minute to two minutes。
Horrocks ascribes to these anal tags a pathologic importance。 He claims that they may be productive of fistula in ano； superficial ulcerations； fecal concretions； fissure in ano； and that they may hypertrophy and set up tenesmus and other troubles。 The presence of human tails has given rise to discussion between friends and opponents of the Darwinian theory。 By some it is considered a reversion to the lower species； while others deny this and claim it to be simply a pathologic appendix。
Anomalies of the Spinal Canal and Contents。When there is a default in the spinal column； the vice of conformation is called spina bifida。 This is of two classes： first； a simple opening in the vertebral canal； and； second； a large cleft sufficient to allow the egress of spinal membranes and substance。 Figure 130 represents a large congenital sacral tumor。
Achard speaks of partial duplication of the central canal of the spinal cord。 De Cecco reports a singular case of duplication of the lumbar segment of the spinal cord。 Wagner speaks of duplication of a portion of the spinal cord。
Foot records a case of amyelia； or absence of the spinal cord； in a fetus with hernia cerebri and complete fissure of the spinal column。 Nicoll and Arnold describe an anencephalous fetus with absence of spinal marrow； and Smith also records the birth of an amyelitic fetus。
In some persons there are exaggerated curvatures of the spine。 The first of these curvatures is called kyphosis； in which the curvature is posterior； second； lordosis； in which the curvature is anterior； third； scoliosis； in which it is lateral； to the right or left。
Kyphosis is the most common of the deviations in man and is most often found in the dorsal region； although it may be in the lumbar region。 Congenital kyphosis is very rare in man； is generally seen in monsters； and when it does exist is usually accompanied by lordosis or spine bifida。 We sometimes observe a condition of anterior curvature of the lumbar and sacral regions； which might be taken for a congenital lordosis； but this is really a deformity produced after birth by the physiologic weight of the body。 Figure 131 represents a case of lordosis caused by paralysis of the spinal muscles。
Analogous to this is what the accoucheurs call spondylolisthesis。 Scoliosis may be a cervicodorsal； dorsolumbar； or lumbosacral curve； and the inclination of the vertebral column may be to the right or left。 The pathologists divide scoliosis into a myopathic variety； in which the trouble is a physiologic antagonism of the muscles； or osteopathic； ordinarily associated with rachitis； which latter variety is generally accountable for congenital scoliosis。 In some cases the diameter of the chest is shortened to an almost incredible degree； but may yet be compatible with life。 Glover speaks of an extraordinary deformity of the chest with lateral curvature of the spine； in which the diameter from the pit of the stomach to the spinal integument was only 5 1/2 inches。
Supernumerary ribs are not at all uncommon in man； nearly every medical museum having some examples。 Cervical ribs are not rare。 Gordon describes a young man of seventeen in whom there was a pair of supernumerary ribs attached to the cervical vertebrae。 Bernhardt mentions an instance in which cervical ribs caused motor and sensory disturbances。 Dumerin of Lyons showed an infant of eight days which had an arrested development of the 2d； 3d； 4th； and 5th ribs。 Cases of deficient ribs are occasionally met。 Wistar in 1818 gives an account of a person in whom one side of the thorax was at rest while the other performed the movements of breathing in the usual manner。
In some cases we see fissure of the sternum； caused either by deficient union or absence of one of its constituent parts。 In the most exaggerated cases these fissures permit the exit of the heart； and as a general rule ectopies of the heart are thus caused。 Pavy has given a most remarkable case of sternal fissure in a young man of twenty…five； a native of Hamburg。 He exhibited himself in one medical clinic after another all over Europe； and was always viewed with the greatest interest。 In the median line； corresponding to the absence of sternum； was a longitudinal groove bounded on either side by a continuous hard ridge which articulated with the costal cartilages。 The skin passed naturally over the chest from one side to another； but was raised at one part of the groove by a pulsatile swelling which occupied the position of the right auricle。 The clavicle a