[Brachymetacarpia in disorders of the rate of physical growth]

On the basis of studying roentgenograms of 1007 wrists in 769 persons the author presents the incidence of the metacarpal syndrome in the population and in some disturbances of the rate of physical development. A metacarpal index determined by roentgenogram as the ratio of the IV and the II metacarpal bones multiplied by 100 is suggested. The value ocal and is often encountered in gonad dysgenesia. Estrogen therapy failed to eliminate this ratio disturbance in the metacarpus. Girls with an accelerated physical development had a tendency to increase of the metacarpal index. As a rule this index was within the normal limits in Klinefelter's syndrome.