On the stature and bulk of man in the British isles / by John Beddoe.

  • Beddoe, John, 1826-1911.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the stature and bulk of man in the British isles / by John Beddoe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    fasliioi], erring by excess ; but the facts that tlieliigLcst return in Scotland, or in all Britain, (No. 54) is unexceptionably fair; that in the two next (57 and 50) special pains were taken to avoid this fault; and that in another (52) in which the results appear rather high, all possibihty of error was guarded against by the inclusion of the entire population, have inclined me to alter my first impression. The highest among the English returns, e.g., those from Kichmond, Bentham, Flegg, and Scilly, were all made by observers of the highest class, who were confident of their accuracy. To get a true average of the general population a larger number is required than of a particular class ; as it is certain than in some districts the upper and middle ranks exceed the lower rank in stature. I say in some districts only; because in those parts where the peasantry ai-e of a tall race, the gentry being somewhat mixed in breed, and nearer to the general standard of their class, have not always the same superiority. In comparing the statements of different observers some caution must be exercised. I have already remarked on the discrepancy of the results, as to girth of chest, obtained by two skilled observers from two sets of men; who, alike in stature, weight, nationality and occupation, must have had nearly the same average chest-girth. This difficulty does not obtain to the same extent in regard to stature and weight, but one man is content with less exactitude in these matters than another. In a few of my returns the particulars are given in inches and stones only, the want of good weighing-machines having probably prevented a closer approximation. But the greatest discrepancies occur in the ideas of different observers respecting colour, and especially colour of hair. There is no standard of reference as to the nomenclature of hair-colour, except that of M. Broca ; and it would have been both expeu-