The Washington times., 1923-01-14

article on the interesting contest
recently held by physicians to dis
cover the most perfect backbone in North
America Now, these same doctors are
offering $1,000 for the best set Of ribs
they can find.
Strange as it may seem, there are many
people who scarcely know that they have
such q thing as set of ribs-yet ribs are
q very important bunch. of bones.
Since the days of the Garden of Eden,
ribs have proved more than confusing
biological puzzle The average person
has twelve on a side, but physicians have
frequently found extra ribs, added to the
top or cervical portion of the spine, but
more frequently to the lumbar, or lower,
norton. Extra lumbar ribs are called
ssgorilla ribs" and are three times as fire.
ouent in the male as in the female, which
is difficult to understand IN view OF
Adams historic loss.
On the other hand, instances OF per-
sons having only eleven ribs on side
have been discovered. How many ribs
has the reader?
Now. all over the United States and
Canada the ''thoracic basket = as the
bony rib framework that encloses the
heart. lungs and others Of the most I'M
portant organs of the body is called-has
become the quest of examining physicians
who hope to find a perfect set OF riDs:
These physicians are conducting their
Investigations for The National League
for the Prevention of Spinal Curvature,
Al, organization that not long ago awarded
prize of 81, 900 to Miss Virginia Pear
son. the well-known actress and screen
star, for possessing the most perfect back
bone. Everybody is more or less con-
cerned about their hair and complexon-
this League wants to make people realize
that their backbones and ribs are Of much
greater Importance.
That contest yielded the surprising rev.
Citations that mothers had better spinal
columns than childless women, brunettes
superior ones to blondes, and hard-Work-
ing. women straighter backbones than
society dilettantes.
AS the. ribs are anchored to the spinal
column, Dr. F. P. Willard, under whose
leadership the perfect ribs contest IL
being held, expects to accumulate other
Interesting facts about our body's bony
scaffolding and accomplish valuable
educational work for the public. 1t is
DIR. Millard's contention that ribs are an
indication of any animals place in ma
ture. AS a rule, the more primitive the
animal the more ribs he has. through
out vertebrates as animals become more
specialized, the evolution tendency seems
TO be towards reduction in ribs. Thus
we find the primitive South American
sloth has twenty-four pairs of ribs; the
monkey has thirteen; man has twelve and
there is evidence that reduction is still
going on in man by the gradual degenera-
ton of the lower or floating ribs.
In this respect it is interesting to note
that mans ribs increase in size from the
first to the seventh, then decrease until
the twelfth rib, scarcely larger than the
little finger, is reached Also, only the
first seven ribs, or true ribs, join the
sternum, asthe breastbone is called. The
remaining five pairs of ribs are known as
false ribs. Of these the eighth, ninth
and tenth pairs are joined to the breast
last two are the floating ribs
Men will not be denied a place in the
contest, but it is not expected that they
will be found among the prize winners
as the ordinary duties of a mans life
and the rough and tumble of his boy
hood days render 1t quite difficult for
him to have perfect set of ribs no mat
ter how well set up he may be from a
muscular point of view.