379 



In the female bodies the average length of those with normal vertebrae 

 was 157,5 cm, the variation extending from 150 to 165 cm. In the 

 female bodies showing a tendency to a shortening of the vertebral 

 column the average length was 146,6 cm, minimum 134,5 cm, maximum 

 161 cm. While these measurements are suggestive, the number of 

 bodies examined is too small for the deduction of positive conclusions. 

 The following table exhibits the measurements taken. 



Males: Length of body in cm: 



With normal vertebral column: 145, 157,5, 160, 162,5, 165, 170, 173, 



175, 175, average 165. 

 With vertebral column showing 152,5, 155, 157,5, 165, 175, 176 aver 

 tendency to reduction: age 163,5. 



Females: 

 With normal vertebral column: 150, 157,5, 165, average 157,5. 

 With vertebral column showing 134,5, 137, 145, 150, 152,5, 161, aver- 



tendency to reduction: age 146,6. 



With vertebral column showing 



tendency to lengthening: 155. 



Unfortunately, no measurements were taken of the absolute length 

 of the vertebral column. 



To recapitulate: 38% of the bodies examined show a tendency 

 to a shortening of the vertebral column. This is most often shown 

 in a reduction of the 12th rib; twenty instances, types "ö", "c" and 

 "d". When the 12th rib is reduced in size or disappears, the tenth 

 rib is always a free or floating rib. Much less common was the tend- 

 ency to the reduction of the 19th vertebra to the lumbar type, three 

 instances, type "a"; or that of the 24th vertebra to the sacral type, 

 five instances (types "a" and "c"); or of the 29th to the coccygeal, 

 four instances (types "a", "ö" and "c"). 



It is more common in whites and in females. It is more often 

 found in bodies of less than the average length. In one instance a 

 cervical rib was found, showing thus a tendency of the seventh vertebra 

 to assume the thoracic type. 



In Group III, types "/"", 'V and "72" include those forms which 

 showed a tendency to a lengthening of the vertebral column. Under 

 "/"" we have included one example in which the thirtieth vertebra 

 was of the sacral type; under "p" we have three instances in which 

 the twenty-fifth vertebra was of the lumbar type, and in two of these, 

 the thirtieth was of the sacral type. Under "A" we have included two 

 instances in which the twentieth vertebra was of the thoracic type. 

 In one of these the twenty-fifth was of the lumbar type, the thirtieth 

 of the sacral type. Thus in two instances there were thirteen rib- 



