ACADEMT OF SCIENCES] 

 NO. 3] 



OBSERVATIONAL DATA 



13 



The old Americans in general as well as those in the Academy do not conforn, or conform 

 but rarely, it may be observed, to "Uncle Sam," who is represented always with a decidedly 

 convex nose. 



Nasal Septum 



The free border of the septum that connects the tip of the nose with the subnasal region 

 and divides the nasal cavity into two, differs much with age and also individually in its inclina- 

 tion. In childhood and youth the angle formed by the septum and the subnasal region is often 

 more or less obtuse, in midadult life it is mostly horizontal, in old age it is frequently more or 

 less acute. These conditions, which are connected with the progressive growth of the fleshy 

 nose with age, if viewed as if the subject stood or sat before the examiner, are recorded most 

 conveniently as "septum inclined upward," "septum horizontal," or "septum inclined down- 

 ward." The nature of the inclination influences considerably the aspect of the nose and face. 



Considering the advanced age of many of the members of the Academy we should expect a 

 fairly high proportion of septa inclined downward, and the records bear out this expectation, 

 viz: 



Table 15. — Inclination of nasal septum 



The above showing reflects remarkably accurately the influence of age. The younger 

 series — the old Americans at large — present most of septa inclined upward, least of those in- 

 clined downward, and this applies especially to the more pronounced cases of either condition. 

 In the academicians there is none with a marked slope of the septum upward, but in nearly one- 

 fourth the septum inclines downward in various degrees; and in the members of the Academy 

 not old Americans, who are the older, the inclined-upward septa have become reduced to a few 

 slight cases only. 



Aside from the potent factor of age there comes into bearing in these connections also, to 

 some extent, that of race. In some racial groups, such as the Semites, both the frequency and 

 grade of the descending septum in old age are appreciably greater. 



Subnasal Prognathy 



Facial protrusion was wholly absent in the members of the Academy, as it was also in the 

 "laboratory group" of the old Americans at large. As to alveolar (subnasal) slant, the condi- 

 tions were found to be as follows: 



Table 16. — Alveolar prognathy 



