EXPERIMENTALLY TRANSPLANTED AND TRANSPOSED WHOLE METATARSAL BONES

Since the appearance of Gill's article¹ in 1915 on the transplanting of entire bones with their joint surfaces, the results of those experiments have been widely quoted, comparisons being made with other experiments wherein only parts of bones had been transplanted. The results have also been extensively quoted as proof that it is not necessary for bone transplants to be in contact with living osteogenic tissue. On superficial observation, it would appear that they were transplants; but as a matter of fact, they were whole bones transposed.

We at once realized that there were two factors entering into those experiments which possibly had not been duly considered: (1) they were transpositions of whole bones, and (2) they remained in a position in which they had the same function to perform to which they had been accustomed. In 1913 we especially called attention to the importance of function to insure