THE GENERALIZED TYPE OF OSTEITIS FIBROSA CYSTICA: VON RECKLINGHAUSEN'S DISEASE

INTRODUCTION  The localized form of osteitis fibrosa, especially in its relation to the formation of bone cysts, has been very commonly recognized and commented upon during the last twenty years. Bloodgood,¹ in numerous publications, and also Barrie, ² Silver, ³ and Meyerding, ⁴ have furnished valuable contributions to the American literature; and Elmslie⁵ has given a good summary of the English cases. The Germans have written at length on the subject.The generalized type, however, has received scant attention, possibly because it is not recognized; and, aside from the article by Lötsch,⁶ no extensive publication has been devoted entirely to this form of the disease, although both Meyerding and Elmslie discuss the generalized cases in their papers.It seemed worth while, therefore, to report the subjoined case: first, because of the rarity of the condition, especially in the United States, and secondly, because of the possibility of