The Vertebral Column of the Bushman Bace of South Africa. 373 
Bushman. 
No 
. 1. 
No. 2. 
No. 3. 
^No. of 
Anterior. 
Posterior. 
Anterior. 
Posterior. 
Anterior. 
Posterior. 
1 
21-5 
22 
22 
21-5 
22-5 
26 
2 
23 
23 
22 
22 
23 
25 
3 
23 
23 
24 
23 
24 
25 
4 
24 
22 
24 
23-5 
23 
23 
5 
23 
20 
24-5 
22 
24 
22 
Total 
114-5 
110 
116-5 
112 
116-5 
121 
Sum total of Anterior Vertical Diameters, 347-5. 
Sum total of Posterior Vertical Diameters, 343. 
General Lumbar Index . . . . . . 98-7. 
The difference in the antero-posterior length of the bodies of the 
lumbar vertebrae in the European and Bushman is practically neghgible, 
but the central vertical depth of the bodies and the antero-posterior length 
of the vertebral canals are much greater in the Bushman. 
The average of the indices of the vertical diameters of the bodies show 
a decided difference ; thus the European average is 91*5, while the Bushman 
average is 98*7. 
The different races of man have been classified according to this 
index, thus : — 
Kurtorachic — index below 98, displaying a forward convexity ; includes 
Europeans generally, and Chinese. 
Orthorachic — index between 98 and 102, column practically straight ; 
includes examples of Eskimo and Maori. 
Koilorachic — index above 102, displaying a backward convexity, 
includes Australians, Negroes, Bushmen, and Andamanese. 
It will thus be noted that hitherto the South African Bushman has 
been placed in the Koilorachic class. Shrubsall's observations (1) pointed 
out that in the specimens he examined they fell into the second class with 
straighter spines as far as the bones are concerned. 
The present series would seem to support Shrubsall's observations. 
In the literature at my disposal I have not observed evidence of inquiry 
into a similar arrangement as far as the cervical and thoracic vertebral 
curves are concerned. I have therefore constructed a similar index of the 
vertical anterior and posterior depths of the bodies of the cervical and 
thoracic vertebrae. 
The following tables would appear to show that the same characteristic 
as in the lumbar region, namely, that there is no adaptation of the bones 
27 
