The Case
The patient was a very tall 22-year-old man who had been drinking heavily in the weeks before his death. During his life, he was noted to be well proportioned, although his height, as measured from his remains, was 2.44 meters, or just over 8 feet. He grew up in a rural environment and little is known about his early health, except that at birth his size was not considered excessive. He soon became taller than his playmates and then much taller than all the other villagers. His mother and father were believed to be normal in stature, but he may have had twin cousins who were also tall enough to be considered giants.
At the end of his life, the patient still appeared to be growing. He suffered from joint pains, headache, and excessive sweating. Shortly before his death, he was robbed of a large sum of money, leading to an increase in his alcohol consumption. His death was attributed to alcoholism, but tuberculosis was also suspected.
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Cite this: Albert B. Lowenfels. The Case of the Big Man With a Little Lesion - Medscape - Jun 27, 2011.
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