The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-02-28
ARE WE DEGENERATINGf
Statistics Seem to Prove That We Have
Lost Nothing In Weight.

Statistics Seem to Prove That We Have
Lost Nothing In Weight.
The results of recent scientific in
vestigation neither tally with the
ancient theory of stature degenerat-
ing mol yet with the more modern
one OF a constant upward tendency.
DIR. Rahon, French scientist of con-
siderable repute, has recently col
lected statistics on human stature
while working at the Musee Broca
under DR.. Manouvrier, we'll known
professor of anthropology. Yet, in
estimating the value of the conclu-
sions to which M. Rahon has come,
1T ought to be remembered that his
Investigations have been limited to
one country-France. His master,
DIR. Manouvrier, is the introducer of
many corrections in the study of
bones, both in the methods employed
and in the coordination of calcula-
tons made, in scientific parlance
the coefficients of reconstruction.
M. Rahon has based his calculations
On some millions of prehistoric
bones collected from all parts. of
France and now preserved in the
Paris anthropological museums. To
establish 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 the latter. DIR. Manou-
vrier therefore measured the bones
of 205 men and 119 women who had
undergone dissection in the Paris
School of Medicine. The average
height thus obtained was 1, $50 me-
tiers for men and 1, 528 for women.
On the other hand, the average
height of adult men measured in the
French criminal Identification de-
partment by M. Bertillon is 1,648
meters, which is, moreover, the av-
erage French height, as ascertained
in military recruiting The crimi-
nal Identification department. gives
1,545 meters as the average height
of adult women. DR.. Rahon's meas
uremcnt of bones of various prehis-
toric and ancient peoples supplies
an interesting comparison. He stud
led in succession bones of the qua
ternary, neolithic, protohistoric Pc
RODS, and as result of Dr. Rahon's
investigation it may be definitely
stated:
First.-That tho skeletons attrib-
uted to the most ancient representa-
tives of the human race belonged to
individuals of stature at most nor
NAL if not small.
Second.-That neolithic people
of the polished flint period, dating
back more than 5000 years-con-
stantly show US medium stature,
lower than our present average
height.
Third. THAT the various proto-
historic peoples-Gaul, Frank, Bur
gun6an, Merogingian-present an
1NOIo3O 0UbUuLO sulphur W t1lh0 VI
French people of today, but not so
great as we have been led to expect,
as matter of fact not exceeding
0015 meter. In short, in spite of
the armor of the middle ages, we
must come to the conclusion, if we
may trust to DIR. Rahon's statis-
tics, that height has almost inappre-
ciably diminished by 0.OO7 meter.
We have therefore no cause for dis
couragement; we need hardly cry
out degeneration" yet. If we
diminish no moro than this in the
centuries, we have no reason to
fear that our great-grandchildren
will be dwarfs. So far as women are
concerned, the figures seem to point
to an appreciate diminution in the
difference of the stature of the sexes.
&C. S. Bromner in London Knowl-
edge.