SECTION 17 



DERMATOGLYPHICS 



17.1. Dermal Configurations: A Study of the Hallucai 

 Area of the Sole in Mongoloids, Non-Mongoloid 

 Mental Defectives and a Control Series. 



G. F. Smith and G. M. Turral (London, 

 Great Britain). 



In the diagnosis of Mongoloids some of the 

 most useful of all dermal configurations are the 

 patterns in the hallucai area of the sole (Ford 

 Walker, 1958). The usefulness of this type of 

 information has been somewhat limited by the 

 lack of information of the distribution of the 

 variety of patterns in different populations. 

 In order to compensate for this deficiency the 

 present study was done on both English and 

 American populations. The dermal ridge con- 

 figurations and ridge counts in the hallucai area 

 were statistically compared in a group of Mon- 

 goloid patients of both sexes. In addition a 

 comparison of pattern frequencies and ridge 

 count distributions were studied in Mongoloids, 

 Non-Mongoloid Mental Defectives and Normal 

 individuals. 



17.2. Dermatoglyphics in the Diagnosis of Mongolism 

 and in Family Relations. M. Cerny, M. Barvic 

 and B. Sekla (Prague, Czechoslovakia). 



An aid for the diagnosis of mongolism is 

 beeing based on the comparison of dermato- 

 glyphic patterns of mongolic patients and of 

 normal controls. An analysis of extensive 

 samples of Czechoslovak population and of 

 patients with Down's syndrome has shown basic 

 similarities with the Canadian material (N. Wal- 

 ker). At the same time the necessity came out 

 for some corrections; the use of this aid in 

 different demographic regions must be based 

 on standards derived from the populations 

 concerned. 



An attempt has also been made of analysing 

 dermatoglyphic patterns of mongolic patients 

 as well as of those with other syndromes connected 

 with karyological abnormalities, in connection 

 of family relations. 



17.3. Characteristics of Finger Prints, Palms and 

 Soles in Phenylketonurics. Walter Hirsch 

 (Chicago, U.S.A.). 



Since the discovery of chromosomal aberra- 

 tions, various abnormal patterns have been 

 described in finger and palm prints. According 

 to present knowledge, no specific pattern or 

 combination of patterns should be expected. All 

 known patterns are occurring in normal popu- 

 lations too: arch, loop whorl, their borderlines, 

 combinations, accidentals, and defects on 

 fingers, palms and soles, the transversal course 

 of palm main lines, multiplication of achsial 

 triradii, the simian crease and changes in the 

 formation of secondary creases and white lines 

 and dissociations in primary and secondary 

 creases. But the distribution of these patterns 

 is different in pathological conditions and very 

 often this difference is highly significant. 



For every one of the possible patterns the 

 percentage frequency in patients and controls 

 have been estimated and the logarithm of these 

 figures has been noted (N. F. Walker). The sum 

 of these logarithms gives a fairly reliable index 

 of the deviation from normal averages. 



The results of finger and hand printings in 

 certain groups of mental retardation (Hirsch and 

 Geipel) and in chromosomal aberrations sug- 

 gested that similar deviations from the normal 

 might also be present in "inborn errors of 

 metabolism". It was the idea of D. Y. Hsia to 

 examine the group of about 50 phenylketonurics 

 under his observation. To these the author could 

 add about the same number of phenylketonurics. 



Such a detailed study is also likely to reveal 

 correlations between the dermatoglyphics and 

 creases and some biochemical and enzyme 

 conditions. Preliminary studies of the author 

 have shown such correlations to be present and 

 to be significant. The results will be presented and 

 discussed in detail and a number of slides will 

 demonstrate the essential deviations from the 

 normal patterns. 



17.4. Dermatoglyphic Anomalies Associated with 

 Abnormal Sex Chromosomes. Sarah B. Holt 

 (London, Great Britain). 

 Striking anomalies have been described in the 



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