62 FIELDS, GRAPHS, AND OTHER DATA ON FETAL GROWTH. 



The large percentage of heavy fetuses in the service of Professor Williams also suggests 

 the need for caution in the comparison of European with American anthropometrical 

 statistics. One is tempted, to be sure, to suggest explanations for this decided difference 

 in the ratio of heavy fetuses between Baltimore and the above-mentioned European cities, 

 and no doubt someone will be reminded of Shroeder's humorous suggestion that his assist- 

 ants must have exerted considerable tension on the legs of the new-born babies in order to 

 get such a high ratio of long fetuses in his clinic. Nevertheless, I am certain that these 

 differences can not be attributed to errors in the weighing. Besides, there are other much 

 more plausible explanations. 



A similar disproportion between the European and American statistics is present in 

 the occurrence of cases weighing over 5,000 grams. During a period of 18 years at Breslau, 

 in a series of 12,886 fetuses, Kaul reports, for example, the occurrence of but a single fetus 

 weighing over 5,000 grams, while in this comparatively small series of 2,298 cases from 

 Baltimore there were 8 with this weight or relatively 5.6 times as many, or 560 per cent. 

 Moreover, Kaul's figures for Marburg, Leipzig, and Munchen, covering 42,941 cases over 

 a long series of years, give only 1 case over 5,000 grams in 3,303 births, or only 9.9 per cent 

 as many as in our series. Kaul also says that during 1 1 years in the Dresden clinic not a 

 single child was found to weigh over 5 kg. and adds that von Winkel found not a single 

 case weighing over 6 kg. in an extensive series of 30,000 cases. Yet there is one case weigh- 

 ing 7,545 grams in this comparatively small series of 2,476 cases. 



Among the 252 fetuses weighing over 4,000 grams there were 185 Caucasians and 64 

 negroes; 1 was a mulatto and 2 were unrecorded. Among the 42 births with a duration 

 of 300 days and over and a weight above 4,000 grams, 30 were whites and 12 blacks, 25 

 males and 17 females. Only 34 of these 42 cases had a weight of 4,000 grams and over and 

 also a length of 50.5 cm. and over. This would seem to imply that length must be set at 

 practically the normal natal average if it is to be used in conjunction with weight in forensic 

 medicine. Moreover, as will be seen, and as has often been stated, length alone is probably 

 a far better guide than weight alone in the determination of the correctness of unusually 

 long gestations. 



Twelve of the above 34 cases were females and 22 males, and 25 belonged to the white 

 race and 9 to the black. There were 123 cases or 27.1 per cent with a length of 51 cm. and 

 over among those with a period of 300 days and over. Of these, 68 were males, 55 females ; 

 83 whites, 39 blacks, and in 1 case the race was not given. Among the total 2,476 cases 

 plotted, 453 were 52 cm. long and over, but only 299 or 66 per cent of these were more than 

 52 cm. in length. Of the latter, only 55 or 18.4 per cent had a duration of more than 300 

 days, and 74 or 24.7 per cent had a duration less than 280 days. Of those with the 

 former duration, 123 or 27.1 per cent were 51 cm. long and over. Moreover, the 18.4 per 

 cent of the cases which had a duration of more than 300 days constituted but 12.1 per cent 

 of those 52 cm. long and over which were contained in the entire series of cases. Similarly, 

 although only 14.2 per cent of the cases weighing over 4,000 grams had a duration of 300 

 days and over, 59 or 23.4 per cent of them had a duration of less than 280 days, leaving 

 62.4 per cent of the heavy fetuses as falling between 280 and 300 days. These percentages 

 confirm the now generally accepted opinion, also emphasized by von Winkel and Zangen- 

 meister, that heavy fetuses usually have a prolonged period of gestation. This is true of 

 76.6 per cent of the heavy cases in this series. 



Out of the 453 cases 52 cm. long and over in a series of 2,476 cases, the sex was given 

 in 415. Of these, 262 were males, 153 females; 287 were white and 128 black. Of the 55 

 over 52 cm. long, 26 were males and 29 females; 39 were Caucasians and 16 negroes. 



