Adam Rainer (1899–4 March 1950) is the only person in recorded history ever to have been both a dwarf and a giant.[1]
Rainer was born in Graz, Austria.[2] In 1917 at age 18, he was measured at 138 cm (4 ft 6 in). A typical defining characteristic of dwarfism is an adult height below 147 cm (4 ft 10 in). Then, likely as a result of a pituitary tumor, he had a dramatic growth spurt so that by 1931 he had reached a height of 218 cm (7 ft 2 in).[3] As a result of his gigantism he became bedridden for the rest of his life.[2] When he died in 1950 he had reached a height of 234 cm (7 ft 8 in).[4] His feet measured 13.1 inches, and his hands 9.4 inches. He weighed only 241 pounds.
Notes
- ^ Guinness World Records, 2004.
- ^ a b Bellows, Alan. "The Man Who Was a Dwarf and a Giant", DamnInteresting.com, 1 December 2005.
- ^ Hirsch, Obar. Two Types of Gigantism Due to Similar Tumors. Discussion of Growth* Confinia Neurologica, Vol. 21, No. 4 (1961)
- ^ Adam Rainer at The Tallest Man
External links
- Entry at FindaGrave.com (no grave photo; cremated)
