Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-08

typical in physiognomy, stature
figure, complexion, and the like? Scientists
| Of the Smithsonian Institution say there is
not, and they ought to know for they have
| been making an exhaustive study of the
question for a period of eight years. There
is a tendency toward the development of an
American type of man or woman, but that
is all.
In the Intensive investigation of physi-
cal and physiological features Of the Oldest
and most American element in the popu-
lation Of the United States some 100 in
dividuals were examined Only healthy men
and women ranging in age fro m24 to IS
years and with at least three generations
American born on each paternal side were
included in the study, and most Of them
were subjected to examination under stand
ardized conditions and with the best instru-
ments as we'll as care at the National mu-
scum.
Difficulty in finding specimens who
would fill all the requirements explains the
length of time required for the investigation.
It was found necessary to make trips to parts
of New England and into the south, and in
the end the individuals chosen may be said
to represent all walks of life and all occupa-
lions. An especially interesting group was
found among the mountaineers of Tennessee
and neighboring regions, where an unusually
large percentage of the people are said to
be of direct descent for many generations.
Not the least important feature Of the
study was the determination of the tempera-
ture, pulse and respiration standards of
these representative "old" Americans. Ply
stefan and anthropoogists will find the result
OF this phase of the work very valuable, as
the figures arrived at may be accepted as
standards. The mean temperature, taken at
rest, the subject seated and with the Their
mometer under the tongue, was SO 6 for the
men and 98.8 for the women. The mean
pulse under similar conditions was II per
m 10 mr. fbo
The mean respiration was III per minute
for the men and 1S. 2 for the women.
Tall Stature Characteristic
Tall stature is characteristic of these men
and women who may re said to be representa-
tive of old Americans. In fact, if few small
groups are disregarded, they are the tallest
of whites, the average height for the men
being five feet eight inches and for the
women, five feet four inches. This superior
ty in stature is in part distinctly American
acquisition and is one Of the tendencies
noted toward the development Of type.
DR.. Ales Hrdlicka, curator of the division
of physical anthropology in the United States
National Museum who had charge of the
study, made the first announcement relative
to it in a paper read before the Second In
ternational Congress Of Eugenics at the
American Museum of Natural History in
New York. In discussing the characteris-
tics of the men and women examined he said:
'They are mostly relatively spare in early
adult life, with rather a tendency ito over
weight later on. In this connection there
appears one serious feature-many Of the
younger women are behind their due stand
ard. Their chests, their muscles, are not as
well developed as are those Of the men. The
men, in the average, are in every way fine
lot. The non-working women, many Of
them, are physically somewhat neglected,
which calls for an improvement. Naturally
this does not apply to the farm girl or the
athletic girl, or the one whose development
has been supervised and assisted in high
class college; but there is large proportion
who do not fall into these classes, and it is
these who show sub-development.
"But the American woman hows superior
head. The size of her head is somewhat
above what it usually is in relation to the av-
erage head Of the male, and it is also percep-
tibly above that indicated by her stature. AS
the size Of the head means corresponding
size of BRAIN we have here highly favor
able condition. The form of the head in the
old American stock differs widely, according
to parentage.
"a much greater process in 'Americaniza-
ton is shown by the face. This has lost
the prominence of the cheek bones and that
of the angles of the lower jaw, and in the
well nourished approaches a characteristic
straight-sided, rather high oval The nose is
variable, with tendency to convex (aquiline)
in males, and concave-convex in females. The
hands, feet mouth, ears are not large but
also not small.
Heredity Still in Evidence
In declaring that there is no American
type Of either man or woman as yet, still
there is an approach to such type in physi-
ognomy, stature, build, fermentation and in
other directions, DR.. Hrdlicka said that
heredity is still most in evidence, but is no
longer absolute.