OSTEOMYELITIS OF THE ILIUM

INTRODUCTION  My interest in osteomyelitis of the ilium was first aroused in 1924 when several cases with extensive chronic lesions accompanied by marked deformities of the hips came to my attention. The apparent hopelessness of these cases led me to a review of the literature on osteomyelitis of the ilium. There were surprisingly few articles on the subject in English, and these were chiefly case reports of acute osteomyelitis of the ilium and dealt with the acute phases of the disease. Two outstanding articles were found in the foreign literature, Gouillioud's and von Bergmann's, both of which advocated what seemed at the time radical measures, but which later, in the light of experience, I have accepted as sound.My interest has been maintained in this subject for the past six years by new cases, generally of chronic osteomyelitis of the ilium, coming under observation. I am reporting 24 cases, 21