55 
1907-8.] An Account of a Brachydactylous Family. 
as its possessors continue to marry. They seem to be on the increase, 
the number of abnormals in the last four generations being as follows : — 
In the fourth generation there are 4 cases. 
„ fifth „ „ 7 i 
„ sixth „ „ 19 „ 
„ seventh „ „ 9 „ 
This last number will probably be increased considerably, as there are 
three parents still in the child-producing age, and eight individuals — not 
yet having reached it — may still live to be married and have children. 
Of the first appearance of this abnormality one can assign no cause. 
It is, however, highly probable that it appeared suddenly as a “ sport.” 
If such a marked variation as is here recorded is transmitted genera- 
tion after generation, it seems quite intelligible that smaller variations 
which are not apparent to the eye, or capable of detection by the 
scalpel or microscope or the most delicate chemical analysis, may 
likewise be transmitted and may account for the tendency which certain 
individuals manifest towards certain diseases. It shows that “ nature” 
is more potent than “ nurture.” 
Mr Bateson, in his preface to Mendel’s Principles of Heredity, says : 
“ The study of variation and heredity must be built of statistical data.” 
And again (p. 7) : “No more useful work can be imagined than a 
systematic determination of the precise ‘law of heredity’ in members 
of particular cases.” I offer this monograph as such a contribution. 
Measurements of Normals. 
Sex. 
No. in 
Chart. 
<1 
Hand. 
Radius. 
Humerus. 
Tibia. 
Femur. 
Height. 
Middle 
Finger. 
Width of 
Hand. 
Span. 
Reach. 
J. w. . 
m 
26 
65 
71 
• 2 
10 
12 J 
15J 
19J 
ft, 
5 
. in. 
101 
3l 
3f 
ft. in. 
5 10 
ft. in. 
7 71 
w. w. 
m 
31 
54 
5 
9 
s. w. . 
m 
32 
53 
5 
10 
R. W. . 
f 
33 
51 
5 
9 
M. W. . 
f 
35 
Adult 
5 
8 
A. W. . 
f 
36 
J? 
5 
6 
Mrs S. . 
f 
49 
48 
7 
10 | 
5 
If 
Mrs J. . 
f 
51 
44 
n 
9 f 
9 4 
11 
5 
1 
Mrs P. . 
f 
53 
40 
7 
11 
5 
H. R. . 
m 
54 
37 
7 
13£ 
17f 
19$ 
5 
10 
3! 
6 0 
7 ’ 7 
Mrs W. 
f 
57 
34 
lOf 
5 
H 
Mrs H. 
f 
61 
30 
5 
3 
C. A. W. 
f 
65 
32 
... 
5 
4 
