SUMMARYTwo types of Polydactyly are described. Preaxial polydactylism is a relatively rare trait, involving a varying degree of duplication of the thumb. X-ray evidence is presented for this condition in a baby girl when first born and 5½ months later, showing the nature of its development. X-ray of the parents revealed that the mother was affected and the father was normal. Evidence points to the possibility that this trait follows a simple autosomaly type of inheritance. Postaxial polydactyly, the more common type, generally involves a duplication of the little finger (5th) with a varying degree of expression. A pedigree of a Negro family is described and X-ray evidence for this trait is given. Each duplicated miniature finger consists of two small but well formed phalanges. The trait seems to be transmitted as an incomplete dominant.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.