Neurofibromatosis

Name(s): 
Elephant Man's disease
Von Recklinghausen disease
Nature 
Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized particularly by cafe-au-lait spots and fibromatous tumors of the skin.
Background 
Although the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, has often been thought to have had von Recklinghausen disease, it has been suggested that Proteus syndrome is a more likely diagnosis.
Incidence 
The disease afflicts about 1.5 million people worldwide, of which some 100,000 are in the USA.
Value(s) 
Type 
(E) Emanations of other problems