Philadelphia, Pa., March 21, 1899.
To the Editor:
—Referring to Dr. F. R. Sherwood's very meritorious article in the Journal of March 11, on the above subject, I am constrained to contribute this brief record of an observation, made en passant as it were, which may possess some interest for the doctor, and for some other readers.It was several months ago that, while riding in a trolley-car, I saw sitting upon its mother's lap near by, a child apparently about three years of age, having five distinct fingers on each hand—no thumbs. In place of the latter there were two prehensile fingers having each three phalanges, and quite closely resembling the apposed forefingers respectively, in size, shape, length, and mobility. The finger-thumbs seemed to serve the hands with as much freedom of motion, prehension and adaptability as ordinary thumbs, as I could unmistakably detect while in a sufficiently favorable