Science |pragres 



Vol. VII. (Vol. II. of New Series). JANUARY, 1898. No. 6. 



WHY WE MEASURE PEOPLE. 



OOME Anthropologists go about the country with little 

 w_y cards in their hands on which they jot a memorandum 

 of the colour of the hair and eyes of the people they come 

 across. Others, with simple appliances, measure the stature 

 and the span, the length and breadth of the heads, of the 

 faces and of the noses of those who will submit to it. Many 

 are the devices adopted and varied are the arguments em- 

 ployed to induce the country folk to allow themselves to 

 be measured. Generally it is best to commence with the 

 stature, as if it were wanted merely to find out who were 

 the tallest men ; most people take a pride in having large 

 heads, and so vanity paves the way for the cephalic meas- 

 urements. The subject then becomes interested and amused 

 and the onlookers indulge in mild chaff, so that by one 

 means or another not only can the above-mentioned meas- 

 urements be taken, but others may be added. When the 

 eye and hair colours and other physical features are noted, 

 a very fair documental description of the individual has 

 been secured. The subject^ is generally ready enough to 

 be photographed, both full-face and side view, and a pro- 

 mise of a copy of his photograph will usually induce a recal- 

 citrant person to submit to the entire operation. 



The question not unnaturally presents itself to onlookers 

 — Why are these observations and measurements made ? 



Now there are several reasons why people are measured. 

 In most anthropometric laboratories the object is mainly to 

 test the growth and physical fitness of people, so that they 

 may see how they stand in relation to other people, and to 



