Exhibition and description of the skull of a microcephalic Hindu / by R.W. Reid.

  • Reid, Robert William, 1851-1939.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Exhibition and description of the skull of a microcephalic Hindu / by R.W. Reid. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the jail at the time, macerated and prepared the skull as now exhibited. A horoscope and knife which had belonged to the Fakir accompanied the skull to tliis country, but unfortunately they have been lost. A general view of the specimen shows at once that the skull is a small one, and that the smallness is due to a marked diminution in the size of the cranial as compared with the facial portion. From the partial obliteration of the sagittal suture its age seems to be about forty years. Subjoined are its detailed measurements and, for the sake of comparison, the average measurements of seven Hindu skulls preserved in the Anatomical Museum of the Aberdeen Univer- sity are placed in a parallel column. Skull of Fakir. Cii'cumference Length Breadth Index of Breadth Height Index of Height Basi-nasal length Basi-alveolaj»^ Alveolar ind^ Nasal heimt „ wMth Nasal index .. Orbital width _ » height Orbital index .. Cranial capacity Summary :—Dolichocephalic, prognatlious, leptor- hine, mesoseme, microcephalic. Average of seven Hindu skulls. 435 mm. 492 158 )> 177 107 )) 130 677 734 119 >i 130 753 734 98 yt 99 101 yy 100 1,031 1,010 51 yy 48 21 yy 25 412 521 39 yy 36 33 yy 32 846 889 800 c.cm. 1,300 c.cm. Dohchocephahc, mesognathous, mesorhine, me- soseme, micro- cephalic. The Fakir skull stands out as compared with the average Hindu skull in its prognathous, leptorhine and microcephalic characters. Norma lateralis.—Fig. 1. Upon looking at the left — the most j)erfect—side of the skull it is seen that the cranium is relatively very small as compared with the face. The plan of the occipital foramen is prolonged forwards, meets the profile of tlie face a little below the middle of the anterior opening of the nose. The curve of the vault is fairly even. ^ The iuion is very prominent. A well marked projection exists behind the left ])arietal foi'camen. The outline of the iorehejid is letieating, the glabella and siipraciliary ridges being pronounced. A well