Achondroplasia, also called “dwarfism.” Sometimes there occurs before birth a disturbance of the growth of bones so that the child is born with a large head, a small face, approximately a normal trunk, and very short limbs.
Such dwarfs have been known for thousands of years and were court jesters in the Middle Ages. One sees them often nowadays on the stage. There is usually one with each troupe of Minnevitch’s harmonica players. The cause of the failure to grow is not known.
The mental condition is usually normal, but these little people often become spoiled by their parents. Seldom do they reach more than four feet in height.
The achondroplastic dwarf differs from the cretin type of dwarf because of the abnormal proportions and because the mentality of the achondro plastic dwarf is normal.