The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
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Vow le, US note some Of tho principal NOR
biological characters by which the races u
man are distinguished from each other OF
all the physical criteria, which serve to differ
%entiate, stature has been regarded hitherto
as eminently variable, The variations. however,
are produced in a similar way in all races, ard
cannot exceed certain limits imposed by race.
Even from birth stature varies Setting aside
individual variations we find the new born On
an average a little taller in Pans than in st Peters
burg As n rule, with people low in stature,
the new born are shorter than those If people
Of greater stature. But this is not true Of tho
French. French babies are big babies French
adults are short The limits Of height within
which the normal man may vary are four feet
one inch. and SIX feet six ami three toufths inches.
Below the lower limit begins an abnormal state,
often pathological. called dwarfism. and above
the higher limit We encounter another state
called giantism. Dwarfs may be but fifteen
inches high, like the little feminine dwarf Hillary
Agybs Of Sinai, and giants may be nine feet
five inches tall, Ike the Finn Caianus Even
the extreme statures which II is agreed 10 call
normal are very rare. That giantism as we'll
as dwarfism is pathological is evident from
the acknowledged sterlllty Of giants, as well as
Of dwarfs.
So far rs trustworthy statistics 60, the extreme
averages, Of different populations IN respect #
stature nuctuate from I feet q inches with the
negrillo Akkas 70 : feet 1913 inches with the
Scots Of Gallo way But i! va st aside the pygmy
tnh- Of the NkkaS, quite exceptional as regards
stature, aud tle Scots Of Galloway and even
the Scots Oi the North in general, who form a
group entirely apart, Va arrive at 4 feet Q inches
and , feet y inches a. the extreme averages in
the different populations VI the globe. Then,
again, If We put on one side the exceptional group
OF the negrltos CAkka, Neta, .Andamanesc and
SasU We shall find the rest Of mankind presenting
statureS which ascend by degree, almost un.
interruptedly ~, from mllnmetrc to mill etre b. tween
LOAN. and ! I5m., which makes the average
Com or . feet > inches Short stature is rare
IN Africa, being found only among the Negrillo
pygmies and the B%uShmen, IN South America a
few tribes 81 low stature are met with, but the
true home OF low Staturcd populations IL lndu-
China, Japan and the Malay Archipelago. In
the remaining portion Of Asia low stature
is only nat with IN western Siberia and among
the tribes called kols and Dravidians in India.
Statues Somerhot under the average predominant
in most Of the rest Of Asia, and in eastern and
southern Europe. while staiures somewhat
above the average ore exhibited by the Irano-
Hindu populations, the Afrasian Semitas and
the inhabitants Of Central Europe, ~ well as the
M'aneSians and Australians. ON the other
hand, whatmay be termed high stature is limited
TO northern Europe, TO North America, To Poly
nesia, and especially 10 Africa, where IL Is met
with as well among negroes as among Abys-
sinians The height Of women il always lower
on an average than the height Of men. The
general difference was estimated by Topinard
az le centimetres, and some five hundred meas
urenents made by our author have led him to
accept the computation.
Whether environment has an influence on
stature Is a controverted question. Since the
time Of Nillerns the assertion has been often
repeated that well being is favorable to increase
in stature, and that hardship has q ~stuntng
effect. There are facts which seem To prove il
In A population supposed to be formed Of a mix.
ture Of many races the well-fed upper classes
appear 10 possess a higher stature than the lower
classes. Our author suggests TINT. even here,
the influence Of race may be ut WORK.
Tor tho race preponderant in the aris-
tocracy and well todo classes may not he
that which p~redominates In The working classes.
According 10 Ammon and L.apoude the popu.
lation Of all towns In France and Of some in Ger
many is taller than that Of the country. In Eng
land. on the other hand, the urban population
taken rs a whole is shorter than the rural. Mr.
Deniker's conclusion Ia that the influence Of en-
vironment cannot be denied In Individual cases,
as with miners: 1t may raise OF lower stature by
stimulating or r%etarding, and even arresting,
growth, II Is not demonstrated, however. that
such e change can be perpeiuated by hereditary
trAnSmiSSion on, and become Dernepen,