[Aseptic humerus head necrosis--tortuous path of a maker of scythes through expert medicine]

The case report is presented of a 50 year-old scythe smith who produced 1400 scythes daily in piece-work over a period of 17 years. He complained for the first time in 1977 about severe pain in his left shoulder. Six years after the onset of pain aseptic necrosis of the humeral head was finally diagnosed by reviewing old X-rays of 1977, but the patient had meanwhile absolved a troublesome journey through a variety of incorrect-medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The patient's history, previous reports and the actual clinical findings observed in our department are presented in this paper. We consider that this patient is suffering from an occupational disease which should be legally recognised as such.