The Spinal Curvature in an A boriginal Australian. 501 



The interposition of a straight piece between the lumbar and sacral 

 curves of the Australian spine is well seen in fig. 2. It certainly 

 offers in this respect a marked contrast to the European, in which 

 the sacral curve breaks off at once from the lumbar curve. 



Relative Lengths of the different Regions of the Vertebral Column of 

 the Australian. Aeby* has called attention to the fact that in the two 

 sexes, and at different periods of life, remarkable differences are 

 found in the relative lengths of the different regions of the vertebral 

 .column. The method which we have adopted for ascertaining the 

 .degree and quality of the spinal curvature affords us at the same 

 'time a very accurate means of comparing the Australian with the 

 .European from this point of view. The measurements were made 

 along the fore surface of the spine, and the results obtained showed 

 that the Australian spine corresponds in this respect in the closest 

 .manner with the vertebral column of the adult European female. Its 

 total length from the base of the sacrum to the tip of the odontoid 

 process was 526 mm. The cervical region measured 112 mm., the 

 dorsal region 241 mm., and the lumbar region 173 mm. 



In order that we may compare the relative length of each of these 

 .regions with what we find in the European, let us regard the fore 

 surface of the movable column as being equal to 100. The following 

 table shows the close similarity which exists in this respect between 

 the Australian girl and the adult European female : 



Fore Surface of Spine from tip of Odontoid Process to Base of 

 Sacrum = 100. 



* " Die Altersverschiedenheiten der menschlichen Wirbelsaule." 

 Anat. und Entwick.' 1879. 



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