RE: Re: Clubfoot - the name

August 12, 2005

Hi ,

Thank you for the info and link you sent on the history of clubfoot. I'd

really love to get the full document " Club-foot through the Centuries by EH

Strach " , but I can't seem to access it from any of the links that I've found

to various medical journals. Maybe it's too old to be in their on-line

archives (1986). I'm prepared to pay for a full-text copy. Any ideas?

I'll post more soon about what I'm writing, it's still very early in the

process!

Moss

STEPS CHARITY

www.steps.org.za

Re: Clubfoot - the name

Hi ,

I know that clubfoot and its treatment was described by Hippocrates.

If you do a search on clubfoot and his name you might come up with

some good links.

My dictionary says the term " clubfoot " originated in 1538 but doesn't

say anything further about its etymology.

here's a bit of other info I had on history/terms etc.

.. Clubfoot has been a recognized condition since the time of

the ancient Egyptians, and the condition was independently described

by Hippocrates and the Aztecs.

.. Despite knowing about the condition for many centuries, it is

still considered idiopathic, which means that its cause is unknown.

(The likely factors that contribute to its development are discussed

below in the section, `What causes clubfoot?')

here's a link to an article on history:

Prog Pediatr Surg. 1986;20:215-37. Related Articles, Links

Club-foot through the centuries.

Strach EH.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=3095875 & dopt=Abstract

" The Latin word talipes was compounded from talus (ankle) + pes

(foot) since, with a clubfoot, the foot is turned in sharply and the

person seems to be walking on their ankle. Equino- indicates the heel

is elevated (like a horse's) and -varus indicates it is turned

inward. "

" Background: Clubfoot, or talipes equinovarus, is a congenital

deformity consisting of hindfoot equinus, hindfoot varus, and

forefoot varus. The deformity was described as early as the time of

Hippocrates. The term talipes is derived from a contraction of the

Latin words for ankle, talus, and foot, pes. The term refers to the

gait of severely affected patients, who walked on their ankles. "

As far as other languages, off the top of my head I can think of

klumpfuss, the German term.

good luck! I'd be very interested to read what you end up with..

> I am researching the origin of the word clubfoot for something I'm

writing.

>

> So far I haven't been able to find a reliable explanation of how it

was

> originally named a clubfoot. It seems to have been around for a

long time

> though. Does anyone know?

>

> And I'm looking for translations in other languages that also mean

> " clubfoot " , like " pied bot " in French, etc.

>

> And finally, any anecdotes about the history of clubfoot, clubfoot

in

> literature, etc also appreciated.

>

> One French site has quite a bit on that, but my schoolgirl French

is taking

> strain - I must try a translation programme.

>

> www.clubfoot.co.za <http://www.clubfoot.co.za/>

>

> Moss

>

> STEPS CHARITY

>

> <http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

>

August 12, 2005

I'd also heard that, but if 's dictionary says it goes back to 1500's,

then I don't know if golf was invented by then?

Moss

STEPS CHARITY

www.steps.org.za

Re: Clubfoot - the name

I was told that the term " clubfoot " originated from the golf club.

The foot is turned in and looks like a golf club.

> I am researching the origin of the word clubfoot for something I'm

writing.

>

> So far I haven't been able to find a reliable explanation of how

it was

> originally named a clubfoot. It seems to have been around for a

long time

> though. Does anyone know?

>

> And I'm looking for translations in other languages that also mean

> " clubfoot " , like " pied bot " in French, etc.

>

> And finally, any anecdotes about the history of clubfoot, clubfoot

in

> literature, etc also appreciated.

>

> One French site has quite a bit on that, but my schoolgirl French

is taking

> strain - I must try a translation programme.

>

> www.clubfoot.co.za <http://www.clubfoot.co.za/>

>

> Moss

>

> STEPS CHARITY

>

> <http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

>

August 13, 2005

Thanks for the links (also Kathleen). So it could be that clubfoot got its

name from looking like a golf club - or perhaps any kind of club - like

those big clubs the Vikings used to carry around (probably used as the first

golf clubs!). I am still searching for some written reference of how

" clubfoot " got its name, will let you know if I find it.

Moss

STEPS CHARITY

www.steps.org.za

Re: Clubfoot - the name

I found this on a website about golf instruction:

" Various authorities have credited any number of peoples- Celts,

Romans, Huns or a band of leisure-loving Visigoths- with the

invention of golf in its earliest form. But the story of golf

instruction begins rightly in the medieval era (no later than 1353),

when golfers adopted the principle of allowing each team to hit a

second uninterrupted shot. "

> > I am researching the origin of the word clubfoot for something

I'm

> writing.

> >

> > So far I haven't been able to find a reliable explanation of how

> it was

> > originally named a clubfoot. It seems to have been around for a

> long time

> > though. Does anyone know?

> >

> > And I'm looking for translations in other languages that also

mean

> > " clubfoot " , like " pied bot " in French, etc.

> >

> > And finally, any anecdotes about the history of clubfoot,

clubfoot

> in

> > literature, etc also appreciated.

> >

> > One French site has quite a bit on that, but my schoolgirl

French

> is taking

> > strain - I must try a translation programme.

> >

> > www.clubfoot.co.za <http://www.clubfoot.co.za/>

> >

> > Moss

> >

> > STEPS CHARITY

> >

> > <http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

> >

August 13, 2005

,

I figured the same, but for the sake of writing it I was hoping to find

something that confirms it. The only thing I've come across is

Re the article, I have applied by an email form through a local university

that apparently represents the company that distributes these old papers and

I hope to hear something from them next week.

Regarding the other languages, I don't know for sure, but I think that most

of them are literal translations of clubfoot - definitely " klumpfuss " is, as

the origin of the word 'club' is from Northern Europe - words like Klubba,

Klump, Klumpen used in countries like Iceland, Sweden, Germany, etc. meaning

a " mass " or lump (Webster Dictionary).

I found this from an article about the history of English medical terms by

H. Dirckx, M.D.

" For convenience, medical terms currently used by speakers of English may be

grouped in eight classes: 1) terms borrowed from everyday English; 2) Greek

and Latin terms preserved from ancient and medieval medicine; 3) modern

coinages, chiefly from classical language elements; 4) terms based on proper

names; 5) borrowings from modern foreign languages; 6) trade names; 7) argot

and figurative formations; and 8) abbreviations. "

And, specifically about Clubfoot:

" Medical English includes a great many lively and even poetic compounds and

phrases built of native material, some of them involving metaphor or

hyperbole: bamboo spine, the bends, clubfoot, frozen shoulder, hammertoe,

harelip, knock-knee, mallet finger, saddle block, strawberry mark, and

wandering pacemaker. "

For anyone interested in words, here's a link to the whole article.

http://community.healthgate.com/search/processSearchRequest.asp?siteid=sjhs &

FeatureId=SearchMedDict & search_option=FM_BM & word=essay

What he's saying confirms what we're thinking that it's just a descriptive

term, so that's what I'm going with for now!

Take care,

Moss

STEPS CHARITY

www.steps.org.za

Re: Clubfoot - the name

,

I always just figured that the name 'clubfoot' was a visually

descriptive term of what the condition made the leg look like in days

of old, or if untreated (a club).

Do you know offhand what pied bot, pie zambo, klumpfuss, etc.,

literally translate to?

Interesting how a euphemism hasn't taken hold, as it has for other

archaic medical descriptors. (I know there's 'talipes', but somehow

that seems too ... remote, Latin or ... something for me to get used

to.)

About that journal article.. I wonder if a library would be able to

get a copy for you. Or contact the journal directly and pay for a

copy.

Good luck,

> > > I am researching the origin of the word clubfoot for something

> I'm

> > writing.

> > >

> > > So far I haven't been able to find a reliable explanation of

how

> > it was

> > > originally named a clubfoot. It seems to have been around for

a

> > long time

> > > though. Does anyone know?

> > >

> > > And I'm looking for translations in other languages that also

> mean

> > > " clubfoot " , like " pied bot " in French, etc.

> > >

> > > And finally, any anecdotes about the history of clubfoot,

> clubfoot

> > in

> > > literature, etc also appreciated.

> > >

> > > One French site has quite a bit on that, but my schoolgirl

> French

> > is taking

> > > strain - I must try a translation programme.

> > >

> > > www.clubfoot.co.za <http://www.clubfoot.co.za/>

> > >

> > > Moss

> > >

> > > STEPS CHARITY

> > >

> > > <http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

> > >

August 16, 2005

Wow , that would be great!!! If you can do it, my sister in Florida

could probably scan the photocopy and email to me (you don't want to post it

to South Africa, it takes 3-4 weeks...)

Yes, that's where I found the link too as gave it, but when I

searched for libraries that had it, they were of course all in the US. I

found a subscription service gave one of our local universities as a

possible source. They haven't responded to my email yet, but I think

they're on vacation and I can't get access because I'm not a student there.

I would really appreciate your help in this!! If there are any costs my

sister can reimburse you from the US, unless I can use Paypal (I'm a new

expert on this now, I didn't have any idea about it until Jenni Cypher told

me I could use it to donate books for her Dr Ponseti project).

Take care,

Moss

STEPS CHARITY

www.steps.org.za

Re: Clubfoot - the name

,

I found the reference at PubMed, which you can use to search for any

medical article ever written.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed

It says the article was published in " Progress in Pediatric Surgery "

which we have here in our library at Wash U. I will walk over there

this afternoon and look for it, if I can find it I can at least make

you a photo copy. You may find the PubMed site helpful for your

research as well, a lot of the journals have links directly to an

article. I also have access to a lot of online journals just because

I work at Wash U. so if there is something that has a link but you

can't get to because you don't have a subscription let me know and I

can see if it is something I can get for you.

Hope this helps,

> > I am researching the origin of the word clubfoot for something I'm

> writing.

> >

> > So far I haven't been able to find a reliable explanation of how it

> was

> > originally named a clubfoot. It seems to have been around for a

> long time

> > though. Does anyone know?

> >

> > And I'm looking for translations in other languages that also mean

> > " clubfoot " , like " pied bot " in French, etc.

> >

> > And finally, any anecdotes about the history of clubfoot, clubfoot

> in

> > literature, etc also appreciated.

> >

> > One French site has quite a bit on that, but my schoolgirl French

> is taking

> > strain - I must try a translation programme.

> >

> > www.clubfoot.co.za <http://www.clubfoot.co.za/>

> >

> > Moss

> >

> > STEPS CHARITY

> >

> > <http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

> >

August 16, 2005