Adam Rainer

Adam Rainer was born in Graz, Austria to average-sized parents in 1899. When WW1 broke out, Rainer tried to enlist in the army, but at 4'6.3'' inches tall, he was deemed too short and weak. A year later, Rainer tried again, and although he had grown a full 2 inches, the army rejected him once more on the basis of his height. Standing 4'8.3'' inches tall at the age of 19, Rainer was considered a dwarf, being nearly 2 inches below the cut-off (4'10''). Although he was short, medical reports from the period state that Rainer had abnormally large hands and feet for his height. Over the next decade, he grew from just under 4'10'' to a shocking 7'1''. During this period, Rainer also began developing a severe spinal curvature. Between 1930 and 1931, Rainer was examined by Drs A. Mandl and F. Windholz, during which time they discovered he was suffering from a condition known as acromegaly. In Rainer's case, this was caused by a tumour on his pituitary gland which led to an overproduction of growth hormones in his body. This was the reason behind his strange appearance, for Rainer didn't just have abnormally large hands and feet. He also had a protruding forehead and jaw, as well as thick lips set over widely-spaced teeth. The two doctors decided to operate despite believing the chances for success were small given the fact that the tumour had been growing for over a decade. A few months after surgery, Rainer was measured again. His standing height had remained the same, though his spinal curvature was more severe, indicating that he was still growing, albeit at a much slower rate. Rainer's health continued to deteriorate. He went blind in his right eye, and began suffering hearing loss in his left ear. Over time, his spinal deformity became so pronounced, Rainer was confined to bed. Read the original article on The Chirurgeon's Apprentice . Follow The Chirurgeon's Apprentice on Twitter . Every time publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox! Look out for an alert in your inbox the next time publishes a story! Look out for an alert in your inbox the next time a new story is published!