THINKING ABOUT RACE — WASHBURN 367 



sected. For example, the facial muscles of the European, African 

 Negro, and Mongolian are quite different (Huber, 1931). This is so 

 much the case that the student following the description of the Euro- 

 pean, which is in all the textbooks, may become confused when dissect- 

 ing non-Europeans. There are numerous differences in the muscles 

 and other soft parts, as summarized by Loth (1931), and in the pro- 

 portions of the body and the skeleton (Martin, 1928). Pelvic shapes 

 differ, and this has a practical application in obstetrics (Caldwell, 

 Moloy, D'Esopo, 1934 and 1938). Limb proportions differ enough to 

 affect the sizes of uniforms (Davenport and Love, 1921). Steggerda 

 (1942) has shown the advantage of using separate height, weight, and 

 age tables for different racial groups. 



The more global our national interests become the more use will be 

 found for knowledge of the anatomical characters of races. When 

 there are more medical schools in China or Africa, undoubtedly 

 anatomy textbooks will be written which apply more directly to these 

 peoples. 



In summary, the comparative anatomist or physical anthropologist 

 cannot operate without racial classifications because these bring order 

 out of the otherwise meaningless range of human variation. How- 

 ever, these are anatomical classifications which are used for anatomical 

 purposes. Since the ends are anatomical in nature, the methods used 

 are anatomical. There is no thought of leaping from anatomy to 

 intelligence, language, or religion. A scientist takes the most direct 

 route possible. If one wants to know about intelligence, intelligence 

 should be measured, not cranial capacity. If one wants to know about 

 language, language should be studied, not head form. One gets out of 

 a mill only what goes in, although the form may have changed. When 

 anatomy goes in, only anatomy comes out. 



THE ANTIQUITY OF RACE 



How shall we regard the races of man ? Have they been relatively 

 independent for millions of years or are they modern ? It used to be 

 thought that the races represented relatively fixed types, some of which 

 were much more closely allied to the apes than others. If any of the 

 living races is particularly primitive, it should be traceable far back in 

 prehistoric time. How far back can the major living races be traced? 



The skeletal remains which belong to the living races are found 

 back through the Neolithic period (Polished Stone Age, earliest 

 agriculture). Prior to that the situation was different. In Europe 

 the round-headed people appeared near the end of the Old Stone 

 Age. In Africa none of the early skeletal remains is typically Negro. 

 In Asia Mongoloids seem to belong to late geologic time, but data are 

 exceedingly scanty. As we go back in time, the picture is one of 

 change. 



