REPORT OF CASE OF CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF BOTH CLAVICLES

L. C., a boy, aged 6 years, was admitted to the wards of Mount Sinai Hospital for the purpose of having his tonsils removed on account of chronic infection.

In the course of the usual routine examination, the house officer noted the absence of both clavicles and the fact that the shoulders could passively be brought together to an even farther degree than that shown in the accompaning illustration. There were no other anomalies and no pathologic findings outside of the enlarged tonsils. Palpation showed both clavicles to be entirely absent, with the exception of small rudiments one-half inch in length, articulating with the sternum and bearing the origin of the clavicular portion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. While these rudiments articulate with the sternum, they can be moved in all directions, except anteriorly, by hooking the finger under them. The absence of the clavicles does not seem to interfere materially