osteometry; the measurement of the bones 



107 



value. To use this measure more delicate methods than any we have at 

 present must be devised. 



As an example of data which may be derived in this way we present 

 here the average lengths of the separate components of the middle finger 

 (digit III) in Europeans, Japanese, and Hottentots, after the measure- 

 ments of Pfltzner, Adachi, and Uhlbach respectively.* 



Measurements of Digit III (Physiological, Lengths) 



bone 



Europeans 



Japanese 



male 



female 



male 



female 



Hottentots 



metacarpal 



basal phalanx 



middle phalanx 



terminal phalanx 



free finger 



total digit (+metacarp. 



54.1 

 35.8 

 23.5 

 14.5 

 83.8 

 137.9 



The following indices may be suggested, the most of which have al- 

 ready been employed by some of the above authors. 



1 . Hand index. This indicates the shape of the entire hand, whether 

 long and narrow or short and broad; it is found by comparing the total 

 length of digit III (metacarp. + phi + 2 + 3) with the physiological 

 breadth of the four finger metacarpals, taken across their bases, thus: 



physiological basal breadth, metacarp. II — IV X 100 

 physiol. length, entire digit III 



2. Palmar index. Like the previous one, save that the length of the 

 palm is compared with its breadth, thus: 



physiological basal breadth, metacarp. II — IV X 100 

 physiol. length, metacarp. Ill 



3. Digital index. Intended to compare the length of the palm with 

 that of the free fingers, taking for the comparison the third digit, which is 

 the longest, thus: 



physiological length, metacarp. Ill X 100 

 physiol. length, phal. 1 + 2 + 3 of digit III 



* Adachi, B. and Y. (Mme Adachi) : Die Handknochen der Japaner. Mitt. med. 

 Fakultat Univ. Tokyo. Bd. 6, pp. 349+. 



Adachi, B. : Die Fussknochen der Japaner. Mitt. med. Fakultat Univ. Tokyo. 

 Bd. 6, pp. 307 +. 



Pfitzner, W. : Maassverhaltnisse des Handskelet. Morph. Arb., 1892. Bd. 1, 

 PP. 1+- 



Uhlbach, R. : Messungen an Hand-und Fussskeleten von Hottentotten. Zeitschr. 

 Morphol. und Anthropol, 1914. Bd. 16, pp. 449-464. 



