Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08

/ "
| M~ moths of the neoIithic
| A% lNN age, are given no sig
/ nificance by the gov
| eminent scientist. Around the Smithsonian.
the bureau of ethnology and the Medical
| Museum, there is a prevalent atmosphere
| or disbelief in anything startling, and,
as the great thinkers of these departments
Of the government say. so utterly contrary
| to all laws which have been deducted from
the mos; careful research. The question
promises a great field for study in the fu-
ttre. just as IL has In the past
The finding of the remains of giants In the
old world, they say, proves no more than
the existence of freaks of large stature in
this country at the present day. All of our
dime museum giants and dwarfs must die
just as others have done before. In many
centuries to come. when our descendants
are rummaging around graveyards in
search of relics of human bodies, they will
come across the frames of some of these
wonders. Perhaps they may find them
alone, since lager bones will last longer
than smaller ones Great tales will go
abroad in our glorious land Of the bright
future to the effect that the American bone
and sinew sprang from a race of giants or
pigmies, just as do some attribute meanings
to the discovery of a few abnormal skele-
tons at the present day. The fact that these
discoveries were made in the old world
however, does not deduct from the sensa-
tional capacity of the United States for
such stories. 1t was reported to one of our
institutions some weeks ago that graves
opened in one of the Dakotas disclosed the
gigantic frames Of a dozen skeletons meas
uring from ter to twelve feet in length.
But this is all considered to be humbug and
quackery by the dignitaries of Uncle Sans
circle Of science: In the first place, they
say, no such family eve- existed. and. in the
next, even though they did. nothing would
be indicated by the fact further than the
appearance OF freaks In the olden times
But when any one tries TO go over the limit
Of eight feet in his descriptions Of NAM
moth human skeletons, he is not going
to be Believed in Washington.
The men who dig out such tremendous
bones usually report them to have crumbled
into d. st as soon as efforts were MADE 10
remove them from their original abode
Many of the large traces of human bodies
believed to have been cxhumed in various
parts of the country have turned out 20 be
parts Of mammoth animals. Noticeably in
the ases of the mastodon: the leg bones of
this animal have frequently been taken for
the corresponding members of the human
framework. This animal is known TO have
lived usually in the marshes and boys of the
reolithic age. When IL turned over TO die,
the bones or its body became partly buried
in the muddy surface bottoms, whereas two
of the leg bones remained uncovered, so,
consequently. after dec0mpo sit,oa had taken
place for many centuries, these Parts re-
manned whole, and were believed to have
belonged to a Goliath or a Cyclops of the
reel wotld- The leg bones of IN animal are
much harder and thicker than any other
parts of its skeleton. and will. consequently,
last The longest. even under normal condi-
tiols. Ia ScElc cases scraps of imperfect
bone arc found mingling with the large leg
bones of mammoth animals. and these dis
coveiies always furnish the most desirable
foundations for che theories continually
breaking out in regard to giant races.
Sources of Great Stature.
Prof. McGee of the bureau Of ethnology
recently SAID. in an interview with the
writer, that he believed the standard of
human height has ever been increasing
very infinitely, century by century, rather
than decreasing. He expresses his theory
that great stature is acquired from three
sources, viz: First nutrition; second cxsr-
else. arr third. heredity. In the case of M
triton. ii IS found, in studying the differ
ent types CT Indians that those inhabiting
the arid regions of the west are very notice.
ably smaller than those who hunt in the
prairles and eat the best meat to be had in
these parts. 1t has not until lately been
appreciated that a low standard of health
would soon make a race of dwarfs OF a
race of giants, if unhealthy races lasted.
which they never do. The theories of the
advocates of ancient giant races will not
hold good under these conditions since
whereas they would have us believe that
the standard of mans height has decrea sed
we Know that the standard of food both
animal and vegetable. has increased ma
terially even in the last century, and has
been in state of evolution ever since the
beginning of the early past. The existence
of lime and vegetable food is also nro
ductive OF great growth of the frame: SOC
tons where considerable limestone abounds.
according to this, should be Iha places
Wherc we are to look for tall men The
Kentucky men are considered to he The
largest American types. This state is Sit
uated in one of the richest lime belts in the
country. This is an immediate Substantial
.,on OF the theory. Still another. During
the var, just at the time when he repre-.
sentative men OF every locality We're draft
ed 10 shoulder their muskets Examination
In the federal forces proved Vermont TO be
the state contributing the tallest soldiers.
One Of the most prominent chemists CON
nected with the government says tnat the
drinking water all throughout Vermont Is
notable Tor It's hardness; that on his own
examination IL has been found TO con; ain a
remarkable per cent of lime
AS Tar as exercise is concerned In respect
TO the development of the frame as well
as the muscles, there is nothing 10 no STA
which every school boy does NOT lnoy,
Ii has been found in nations whose iahsbi.
ants have been noted for their roaonI6
eenSe oil physique that large frame IS the
result or several generations The Snar
tans grew to be heroes of strength ana
size because of their pride in respect n
physical culture. Warfare however IN .he
tthie, IS productive OF unhealthy
ana small races rather than large onas
Ills Is best illustrated in the case of the
rrerch, who are now suffering from n
decrease In their healthy popuIati don. Ma
poieon Is responsible for this confitIon
When he drafted all the large and hsaltby
men OF France into the army. confinins,
them in the military camps for many Yea "a
without Issuing Burroughs for their yac,-
IONS, the only productive element al homa
IN the cities and the country at large was
composed or the men who were physicallv
hnrt 70 enter military service. Hence tha
generations which have grown up in France
since these long periods of warfa-n are NOT
OF the highest physical tyne
AS iar as heredity affects height n INNS,
pe taken INTO consideration that its mvs-
teries always work I'm devious and obscure
Ways. Inc axiom OF species production, in
me long run, IS that like produces like al
thorgh IN the issue allowance must be made
tor any kind of variation. 1t is a scientific
iact the world over that opposite sexes Of
inherent styles OF physique usually attract
enc aHother; hence tall men I'm the greater
number or cases marry short women. and
wee versa, the tendency OF nature being to
draw always complete diagonal of ex-
tremes. This tends to cause an equalization
OF the human species, and the natural re
suit is a certain average of stature of both
sexes, which Is found to be- for the whole
world, five feet five inches.
These Were Giants.
Although children generally avert toward