TINY TIM: So what was wrong with Tiny Tim?

We started yesterday to tell readers about the Pennsylvania
Medical Society’s attempt to diagnose what ailed Tiny Tim, the
sickly child in Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol.”

Here’s some of the theories from Dr. Daniel J. Glunk, an
internist from Williamsport, who is Society chairman. First, he
looks at what’s called RTA – Renal Tubular Acidosis, a kidney
disease that makes blood too acidic.

He says, “Tiny Tim is small, has malformed limbs, and periods of
weakness. These all can be the result of RTA.ðPlus, the fact that
Tiny Tim’s condition is fatal if left untreated, but reversible if
proper medicine is used, helps to guide medical sleuths to
RTA.”

RTA causes growth retardation, kidney stones, bone disease, and
progressive renal failure.

Unfortunately, modern medical testing did not exist in the
period when Tiny Tim lived. But, they did know his symptoms could
be treated with alkaline solutions.ðSo with appropriate care at the
time, Tiny Tim could have managed his RTA.

Other sleuths suggest that Tiny Tim could have suffered from a
Vitamin D deficiency, commonly known as rickets.

Rickets was a widespread problem in locations with heavy smog
and industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s – such as the London
of Tiny Tim’s time.

Signs of Vitamin D deficiency include soft bones, muscular
weakness, osteoporosis, and joint pain. Without Vitamin D, the body
can’t absorb calcium, and thus has difficulty building and
maintaining strong bones. That may be why Tiny Tim needed a
crutch.

Tiny Tim’s life was lived prior to Vitamin D but “at the time,
they could have unknowingly treated this condition through better
foods that Scrooge helped to buy.”

Finally, some Internet sleuths believe a conspiracy theory
exists and that something other than a disease could have caused
Tiny Tim’s death. After all, Dickens’ novel only showed the
Cratchit House without Tiny Tim and never said how he died.ðFans of
the classic story are only led to believe Tiny Tim died of what
ailed him, but are not provided positive proof.ðCould it be a
Dickens literary trick?

“Bah humbug,” says Dr. Glunk. “In the spirit of the story, I’d
like to think that it was Scrooge becoming a more generous person
and enabling the Cratchits to provide better food and medicine for
Tiny Tim that made the difference.”