72 ALES' HRDLIKA 



This method is readily learned and causes the minimum of incon- 

 venience to the subject (particularly if the points of the instrument are 

 warmed in water or by the breath of the observer before introduction), 

 and with due care it gives results which vary within less than 3 mm. 

 The time required is scarcely more than the average time for ascer- 

 taining the head length. The external portions of the floor of the 

 meatus, while not as perfect landmarks as could be desired, give with 

 this method and instrument, in the author's experience, results that 

 are more satisfactory than those obtained by any other method or 

 instrument so far devised for taking this important measurement of 

 the head. The preference of bregma to the vertex for the superior 

 * point de repere,' is in accordance with the Geneva Agreement, 

 which stipulates two heights of the vault and both to the bregma. 



MEASUREMENTS OF THE FACE. 



The face in the living can hardly be considered without including 

 the forehead, which contributes in an important way to the physi- 

 ognomy. In consequence certain measurements of the "face" include 

 the frontal part of the head up to the line of the hair. 



The essential measurements on the face are its anatomic and 

 physiognomic heights, and its greatest breadth; but generally it is 

 also advisable to include the smallest frontal and the bigonial diameter. 



Instrument: The spreading compass (Broca or HrdliSka). 



Preliminaries: The location of the nasion, and the middle point 

 of the hair line (criniori), may with advantage be marked beforehand by 

 aniline pencil. 



The nasion should correspond as closely as possible to the ana- 

 tomical nasion, i.e., the mid point of the naso-f rental suture. In a 

 certain proportion of subjects this point may be felt by the observer's 

 finger nail or the point of a pencil; but in the majority we must rely 

 on knowledge of its location derived from extensive observation on 

 skulls and dissecting room material. It is always situated above a 

 horizontal line connecting the two inner canthi. 



The crinion is the mid point of the hair line, where this forms a 

 regular arc. Occasionally a more or less marked V-shape extension 

 of the hair downward in the median line will mar this arc, in which 

 case it will be requisite to extend the lateral parts of the arc until they 

 connect and mark the crinion in the middle of this line. But little 

 difficulty will be experienced in this connection. 



Face Length, Anatomical. The distance from the menton (the 

 lowest point in the middle of the bony chin), to the nasion. 



