INDIVIDUALS AND MEASUREMENTS CONSIDERED. 



49 



medical ward, conclusions may be drawn concerning the influence of 

 special conditions, diets, or diseases upon metabolism. If results of 

 the kind are to be of general value they must be universally valid and 

 universally applicable. To be generally valid and broadly applicable 

 the fundamental series should be based on individuals typical, not 

 merely in average but in variability and correlation, of the population 

 as a whole, rather than composed of individuals conforming to some 

 personal preconception of "normal." 



First of all we may present the actual statistical constants of the 

 series of data which we have analyzed, and compare them with others 

 based on larger numbers of individuals. Otherwise our own constants 

 will not be discussed in great detail here, but form the basis of most 

 of the calculations in the following chapters. 



TABLE 5. Physical constants of male and female new-born infants. 



Consider first the problem of the variation and correlation in stature 

 and weight in the series of subjects dealt with. 



In doing this we shall lay emphasis upon variability as well as upon 

 average dimensions. This is done because in selecting a series of meas- 

 urements to be considered typical of the population at large it is quite 

 as important that they represent the diversity of the population as 

 that they show the proper average values. 



The physical constants for our male and female infants are given 

 in table 5. 



For body- weight we have the following series of infants for compari- 

 son with our own. 



Quetelet's classic series, 28 as reduced by Pearson, 29 gives the follow- 



28 Quetelet, Anthropometrie, 1871, p. 355. 



29 Pearson, The Chances of Death, 1897, 1, p. 307. 



