(Original title: Der Phosphorgehalt in Kopf und Schaft von Rohrenknochen. Der Merkursfab 1997; 50: 120. English by A. R. Meuss.HL.MTA)

In Rudolf Steiner's lecture of 4 Jan. 1924 in Eight Lectures to Doctors (in GA 316), we read the statement that calcium phosphate predominates in the head of a bone, calcium carbonate in the shaft. To quote from Eugen Kolisko, who wrote in Natura (1927, p. 343) about investigations that gave scientific confirmation of a finding made in the science of the spirit:

"Structure of bone substance”
Dr. Steiner once said that calcium phosphate is active in round-shaped bones and calcium carbonate in the long parts. The head and shaft of a thigh bone should, therefore, show a difference in this respect. An interesting statement relating to this is found in a paper by M. A. Camot (Recherche du fluor dans les os modemes et les os fossiles. Comptes Rendus de 1'Aca-demie des Sdences. 114,1892, p. 1189). Analysis of the head and shaft of a human femur showed the following:

Calcium in the head 87.87%
phosphate in the shaft 87.45%

Calcium in the head 9.23%
carbonate in the shaft 10.18%

Calcium phosphate, thus, predominates in the head, and calcium carbonate in the shaft."
Those were the words of Eugen Kolisko. Considering the extensive research into the structure of the femoral head done in the context of hip replacement surgery, relevant findings should be available. Do any of our orthopedic or surgical colleagues know about these?

Armin Husemann, MD
Filder Clinic Anthroposophical
Medical School
Haberschlaiheide 1
D-70794 Filderstadt, Germany