xvn ANTHROPOMETRY 261 



mainly left to the unorganised efforts of amateurs of the 

 subject, its progress in recent years has been undeniably 

 great. I will give an instance of the strides that have been 

 made in one of its most important branches. 



Physical or Anatomical Anthropology, or the study of the 

 modifications of the human body under its various aspects, the 

 modifications dependent upon sex and age, the modifications 

 dependent upon race, and those dependent upon individual 

 variability, studied not many years ago in a vague and loose 

 manner, has gradually submitted to a rigorous and, therefore, 

 strictly scientific method of treatment. The generalities 

 which were formerly used to express the differences that were 

 recognised between the various subjects compared with each 

 other have been replaced by terms conveyed in almost mathe- 

 matical precision. No one acquainted with the history of 

 the development of this branch of Anthropology can fail to 

 recognise how much it was accelerated by the genius of Broca, 

 and the school which he established in France, although all 

 cultivated nations are now vying with each other in the 

 practice of exactitude in anthropological research, and the 

 time seems rapidly approaching when a common agreement 

 will be arrived at, by which all the observations which may 

 be made, under whatever diverse circumstances, and by what- 

 ever different individuals, will be available for comparison one 

 with another. 



This branch of^ our science has received the name of 

 " Anthropometry." Although, as the name implies, measure- 

 ment is one of its principal features, it includes such other 

 methods of comparison as can be reduced to a definite standard, 

 or to which definite tests can be applied, such as the colour of 

 the hair, eyes, and complexion, the form of the ear and nose. 

 The great desiderata that have been sought for, and gradually 

 attained, in measuring either the skeleton or the living person 

 have been two in number : 1. Exact definition of the points 

 between which the measurements should be taken. 2. Exact 

 methods and instruments of measurement. In both these 

 cases the object looked for has been not only that the 

 measurements taken by the same observer at different times 

 and under different circumstances should coincide, but also 



