History of osteogenesis imperfecta or brittle bone disease: a few stops on a road 3000 years long

B-ENT. 2007;3(3):157-73.

Abstract

The attested history of osteogenesis imperfecta began three thousand years ago and it continues down to the present day. Through the centuries, we find a dislocated mummy of a child of Ancient Egypt, a young Arab named Satib, a Viking prince known as "Boneless", a subject of Louis XIV with a broken skeleton and finally, in the 20th century, a young deaf mother with blue sclerotics and a jazz pianist unable to walk except on crutches... Without being exhaustive, this review of contrasting cases attests to the universality and to the permanency of this disease.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Portrait

MeSH terms

  • Egypt
  • History, 17th Century
  • History, 18th Century
  • History, 19th Century
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, Ancient
  • Humans
  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta / history*
  • Stapes Surgery / history