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No. II.—FORM AND SIZE. 
By Dr. BEDDOE, F.B.S. 
The careful measurement of even two or three individuals 
may be of much use in determining the existence of peculiarities 
of form and proportion, such as prognathism (protrusion of 
muzzle); but in order to obtain trustworthy averages of stature 
&c., a much larger number of persons (twenty or more) must 
be measured. These should be of full age and growth (in this 
country from 23 years to 45 or 50 is the suitable period), but 
should not be picked for their size or beauty, but taken indis¬ 
criminately, with the view of getting a fair sample. There is 
usually much difficulty in obtaining measurements of women ; 
but a Table of them would be very valuable. 
The following are important points in the living subject:— 
1. Height from ground of vertex; 2, of meatus auditorius 
(opening of ear) ; 3, of chin; 4, of top of sternum (breast-bone); 
5 , of umbilicus; 6, of upper part of trochanter (i. e. point where 
upper end of thigh-bone felt prominent under skin); 7 , of fork; 
8, of articulation of knee ; 9, of largest part of calf; 10, of point 
of acromion (i. e. anterior point of shoulder, felt by carrying 
finger along collar-bone to its outer extremity) ; 11, of elbow; 
and 12, of point of mid finger (hanging vertically). All these 
best gotten with measuring-rod and square. So also 13 , the 
height when sitting on ground; 14, the breadth of shoulders 
(i. e. between the acromia, see 10), and, 15, of haunches., 
Circumference:—16, of chest at arm-pit, and in men, 17 , at 
mamma*; 18, of haunches; and 19, of trochanters. Less im- 
* In taking the chest-measurement the individual should be made 
to stand as upright as possible, with the shoulders back and the arms 
hanging loosely at the sides. The lower edge of the tape should touch 
the nipples; and the tape should be read off on the back between the 
bladebones. Care should be taken that the tape passes horizontally 
round the chest, as, if measured below the bladebones, the measure¬ 
ment may be reduced as much as 2 inches in some cases. In measu¬ 
ring, the man should be made to count ten slowly, or he should make 
a succession of sounds to prevent the lungs from being inflated; this 
will probably reduce the measurement about half an inch. It may 
be convenient to remember that 33 inches chest-measurement is the 
standard in the British army. 
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