285 



MEASUEEMENTS AND INDICES. 



The results are classified into three groups : 



1. Dolichocephalic, with an index below 75 : Australians, Kaffirs, Zulus Eskimo Fiiian* 



2. Mesaticephalic, ranging from 75 to 80 : Europeans (mixed), Chinese, Polynesians (mixed)' 



3. Brachycephahc, with an index over 80 : Malays, Burmese, American Indians Anda- 



manese. 



In order to provide for uniformity in the results of different observers, some system is neces- 

 sary by which the various points from which the measurements are taken must correspond 

 Whilst there is much difference in the value of the measurements insisted on by individual 

 anatomists, all agree in endeavouring to select such points on the skull as may be readily deter- 

 mined, and which have a fairly fixed anatomical position. The more important of these " fixed 

 points " are included in the subjoined table : 



VERTEX 



BREOMA 



OBELION 



LAMBDA 



MAXIMUM OCCIPITAL 

 POINT 



INI ON 



ASTERION 



STEPHANION 



PTERION 



OPHRYON 

 GLABELLA 



NASION 



\ N ^\~~\V DACRYON 

 RHINION 



JUGAL POINT 

 AKANTHION 



PROSTHION 

 (ALVEOLAR POINT) 



POGONION 



Nasion. The middle of the naso-frontal suture. 



Grlabella. A point midway between the two superciliary ridges. 



Ophryon. The central point of the narrowest transverse diameter of the forehead, measured 

 from one temporal line to the other. 



Inion. The external occipital protuberance. 



Maximum Occipital Point. The point on the squamous part of the occipital in the sagittal 

 plane most distant from the glabella. 



Opisthion. The middle of the posterior margin of the foramen magnum. 



Basion. The middle of the anterior margin of the foramen magnum. 



Bregma. The point of junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures. 



Rhinion. The most prominent point at which the nasal bones touch one another. 



Alveolar Point or Prosthion. The centre of the anterior margin of the upper alveolar 

 margin. 



Subnasal Point. The middle of the inferior border of the piriform (anterior nasal) aper- 

 ture at the centre of the anterior nasal spine. 



Akanthion. The most prominent point on the nasal spine. 



Vertex. The summit of the cranial vault. 



Obelion. A point over the sagittal suture, on a line with the parietal foramina. 



Lambda. The meeting-point of the sagittal and lambdoid sutures. 



Pterion. The region of the antero-lateral fontanelle where the angles of the frontal, parietal, 

 squamous part of the temporal, and great wing of sphenoid lie in relation to one 

 another. As a rule, the sutures are arranged like the letter H, the parietal and 

 great wing of sphenoid separating the frontal from the squamous temporal. In 

 other cases the form of the suture is like an X ; whilst in a third variety the 

 frontal and squamous part of the temporal articulate with each other, thus separating 

 the great wing from the parietal. 



Asterion is the region of the postero-lateral fontanelle where the lambdoid, parieto-mastoid, 

 and occipito-mastoid sutures meet. 



Stephanion. The point where the coronal suture crosses the temporal line. 



Dacryon. The point where the vertical lacrimo-maxillary suture meets the fronto-nasal 

 suture at the inner angle of the orbit. 



