SCHOOL ANTHROPOMETRICS. 69 



an inferior population. Again, given uniformity of race an in- 

 ferior environment may be the centre to which the mentally and 

 physically inferior parent naturally gravitates. As a further illus- 

 tration he says it is misleadin^^' to compare children so racially 

 different to one another as Devonshire or Lancashire children or to 

 compare either with the British " average standard " based upon 

 measurements taken all over England. He maintains that these 

 considerations are of supreme importance to the hygienist and 

 educationist alike, and urges that the services of social workers 

 should be enlisted into the anthropometric enquiry. 



Methods of Anthropology.- — -The widespread conviction that 

 standardisation to uniformity of the many recognised methods of 

 collecting anthropometric data had become necessary led recently 

 to two important results : — ■ 



(1) The international agreement at Monaco, 1906, on standards 

 for head measurements. 



(2) The appointment by the B.A.A.S. in 1903 of a special com- 

 mittee to enquire into the state of anthropology in the British 

 Isles. Professor Cunningham, of Edinburgh, was chairman, and 

 with him were associated Haddon, of Cambridge ; Waterston, of 

 the King's College, London ; Dr. Sadlier and Dr. Kerr, and J. Grey 

 of the Royal Anthropological Institute of London. After five 

 years' enquiry on sectional committees, they testified to the value 

 of the science and prepared a schedule of standard measurements. 

 The committee, as such, came to an end, and a new committee with 

 much the same pei'sonelle was formed for the purpose of furthering 

 the introduction of anthropometry into schools and colleges. A 

 full report is given in the Proceedings of the B.A.A.S., DubHn, 1908. 

 The schedule is issued in pamphlet form by the Royal Anthro- 

 pological Institute, with illustrations. 



The schedule does not differ from recognised standards in such 

 measurements as height, weight, and head, but it has fixed methods 

 for testing the more variable and difficult characters, such as the 

 colour of the hair and eyes. One important feature has been the 

 selection of the points for chest measurements at the level of the 

 junction of the fourth costal cartilege with the sternum and the 

 recommendation that calliper measurements of diameters should 

 be taken. This will be welcomed by any observer who has 

 experienced the difficulty of making chest measurements and 

 obtaining results wliich could be comparable to the observations of 

 others. The reasons for tliis decision are given in full in the report 

 of the proceedings for 1907- 



If Australasian work in the future is to have any scientific 

 value or give results of practical use to the nation, it is incumbent 

 on observers throughout the Commonwealth and New Zealand to 

 adhere to this British standard of 1908. 



(3) Adequate treatment of anthropometric data has become 

 possilDle by reason of the greater analytic efficiency of modern 



