Englargement of Bones
This is an unusual disease, in which the prominences upon the bony structures of the body become enlarged to an enormous extent. The growth may be rapid or extend over several years. The lower jaw and the feet and hands are chiefly affected, though any bony prominence may be involved. The nose and ears may at the same time greatly increase in size. The skin and muscles of the body remain unchanged, which causes the morbid growths to appear Hideous. The sufferer grows distressed and his mind weakens. He usually leans his enlarged head forward, presenting an ungainly sight as it is carried between his enormous shoulders. Nothing is known regarding the cause of the trouble[1], and no method of alleviation has yet been devised. The patient may live for years, though he is an easy prey to fatal disease; if not, exhaustion eventually causes death.
[1] The link between pituitary enlargement and acromegaly had been found shortly before the publication of the book, in 1887, by Oscar Minkowski. The
nature of the link was debated for some time: some thought that acromegaly was caused by pituitary hypersecretion, some thought hyposecretion, some thought that pituitary enlargement and acromegaly resulted from a nutritional disorder, and some didn't believe a correlation existed.