The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-02-06
ARE WE DEGENERATlkGi
Statistics Seem to Prove That We Have
Lost Nothing In Weight.

Lost Nothing In Weight.
The results of recent scientific in
vestigation neither tally with tho
ancient theory Of stature degenerat-
ing nor yet with the more modern
one of a constant upward tendency.
DR.. Rahon, a French scientist of con-
siderable repute, has recently col
lected statistics on human stature
while working at the Musee Broca
under DR.. Manouvrier, a well known
professor of anthropology. Yet, in
estimating the value of the conclu-
sions to which NJ. Rahon has come,
it ought to be remembered that his
Investigations have been limited to
one country-France. His master,
DR.. Manouvrier, is the introducer Of
many corrections in the study Of
bones, both in the methods employed
and in tho coordination of calcula-
tons made, in scientific parlance,
"the coefficients of reconstruction. "
NJ. Rahon has based his calculations
on some millions of prehistoric
bones collected from all parts Of
France and now preserved in tho
Paris anthropological museums. TO
establish a term Of comparison be-
tween men of former times and men
living now it was indispensably nee
essary to have precise knowledge OF
the height of tho latter. DR.. Manou-
vricr therefore measured tho bones
of 2O5 mon and 119 women who had
undergone dissection in tho Paris
School of Medicine. The average
height thus obtained was 1850 me-
tiers for men and 1928 for women.
On the other hand, tho average
height of adult men measured in tho
French criminal Identification de-
partmcnt by NJ. Bcrtillon is 1,64S
meters, which is, moreover, the av-
erage French height, as ascertained
in military recruiting. Tho crimi-
nal Identification department gives
1876 meters as the average height
of adult women. Dr.. Rahon's meas
urement of bones Of various prehis-
toric and ancient peoples supplies
an interesting comparison. 10 stud
led in succession bones of the qua
terrary, neolithic, protohistoric pc.
RODS, and as result Of Dr.. Rahon's
investigation it may be definitely
stated:
First. -That the skeletons attrib-
uted to tho most ancient representa-.
tives of tho human race belonged tc
individuals of stature at most nor:
nal if not small.
Secondhand neolithic people
of the polished flint period, dating
back moro than 5000 years-con
stantly show US medium stature
lower than our present average
height.
Third. the various proto
historic peoples-Gaul, Frank, Bur
gundian, Acknowledgements M
average stature superior to that O
French people of today, but not 81
great rs we have been led to expect
as a matter of fact not excecdin!
O.O15 meter. In short, in spite O
tho armor of the middle ages, VI
must como to the conclusion, if W
may trust to DIR. Rahon's stats
tics, that height has almost inappre
Gladly diminished by 0.OO7 meter
We have therefore no cause for dis
courugemcnt; we need hardly CT
out Regeneration yet. If W
diminish no more than this in tn
centuries, we have no reason t
fear that our great-grandchildre
, will be dwarfs. So far as women ar
! concerned, the figures seem to poir
+ to an appreciablo diminution in tn
|, difference of the stature of the sexe:
-, &C. S. Brcmner in London Know
a edge.