Rachitis

(eayslc; from eayic, the spine of the back; so cailed because it was supposed to originate in a fault of the spinal marrow.) The rickets. A species of diseases in the cla cachexiz, and order intumescentiz of Cullen; known bya large head, prominent forehead, protruded sternum, flattened ribs, big belly, and emaciated limbs, with great debility. It is usually confined in its attack between the two periods Pes months and two years of age, seldom appearing sooner than the former, or show i self for the first time after the latter muscles become flaccid, the head augments, the carotids are distended, the limbs waste away, and their epiphyses increase in bulk. The bones and spine of the back are variously distorted; disinclination to muscular exertion follows: the abdomen swells and grows hard; the's tools are frequent and loose; a slow fever succeeds, with cough and difficulty of respiration: atrophy is confirmed, and death ensues. It frequently happens that nature restores the general health, and leaves the limbs distorted. After death, the liver and spleen have been found enlarged and scirrhous; the mesenteric glands indurated, and the lungs either charged with vomice, or adhering to the pleura; the bones soft, the brain flaccid or oppre ed with lymph, and the distended bowels loaded most frequently with slime, sometimes with: worms. It is remarkable, that in the kindred disease, which Hoffmann and Sauvage cal i the atrophy of infants, we have many cf the same symptoms and the same appearances nearly after death. ‘* They who perish by this disease,” says Hoffmann, ‘* have the mesenteric glands enlarged and scirrhous; the liver and spleen obstructed and increased in size; the intestines are much inflated, and are loaded with black and foetid matters, and the muscles, more es- ecially of the abdomen, waste away.”