PART I._Body-build and its inheritance

BODY-BUILD AND ITS INHERITANCE

CHARLES BENEDICT DAVENPORT

DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS, CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON

[Illustration: CARNEGIE INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON 1902]

PUBLISHED BY THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 1923

CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON

PUBLICATION NO. 329

PAPER NO. 35 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS

JUDD & DETWEILER

WASHINGTON

PREFACE.

This study of the hereditary factors of body-build is an outgrowth of

the author’s activities in the office of the Surgeon-General of the Army

during the World War, where he was in charge of anthropology. In the

examination of thousands of young men the extraordinary diversity of

build was a striking fact. The question of its genetic basis arose and

the desire was stimulated to find out if those physiologists are correct

who account for variations from average build solely on the ground of

special conditions of food intake and activity, and generally disregard

the possibility that factors of heredity are involved. It was anticipated

that the study would be a minor one. But, on account of the wealth of

family data at the Eugenics Record Office, the task assumed unexpectedly

large proportions. Much correspondence had to be undertaken to secure

confirmation or correction of the records, and the period of analysis of

the materials grew from months into years, while the manuscript of the

text and tables accumulated.

Though it has added much to the bulk of the volume, it has seemed

desirable to print full details about the more critical cases.

Geographical location, race, occupation, and diseases have been generally

given because they all bear upon build. The height and weight are of

course given, and these are usually in English measurements, since

they were first reported in that system. They are given in brief form

thus: “120/63 inches”; which means that the subject weighed 120 pounds

(usually including clothing) and was 63 inches tall (without shoes).

The word “inches” is added as an indicator of the system of measurement

employed. In other cases English measures, or indices based on them,

are placed in parenthesis in accordance with scientific custom. Net

relative chest-girths, where given, are based on measurements taken just

below the axilla, are reduced to “on skin” measurements by subtracting

3 centimeters for summer clothing and 6 centimeters for indoor winter

clothing, and are divided by net stature.

To this book many persons have contributed. Hundreds have furnished

data on the Records of Family Traits. Dr. Bret Ratner kindly responded

to my request by having daily measurements made on 11 infants during

the first 10 days of life. The photographs of men of standard build

were contributed by Dr. George L. Meylan; the photographs of boys on

plate 3 were obtained for me by Dr. William Burdick, of the Playground

Association of Baltimore. Through the kindness of Mr. Carle O. Warren,

of the Marquand School, Brooklyn, the photographs of boys of various ages

shown on plates 4 to 6 were secured. Dr. Harvey G. Beck and Dr. L. F.

Barker gave permission for the republication from Barker’s “Endocrinology

and Metabolism” of the photographs at the bottom of plate 8. The families

who have, on request, furnished special data are too numerous to mention.

To all of the foregoing I desire to express sincerest thanks.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PAGE

PREFACE iii

PART I. Build, its definition and its ontogeny 3

A. General considerations 3

Types of variation in build 4

The measurement of build 4

Ontogenetic 4

Adult 5

Sexual differences in build 5

Racial differences in build 7

Geographical differences in build 7

B. The ontogeny of build 8

Materials and methods 8

The ontogenetic curve of build 11

Later ontogenetic changes in individual build 16

Relation of juvenile to adult build 19

PART II. Mass studies in heredity of adult build 22

Methods and materials 23

The adult index of build 24

Classification of build 26

Significance of variations in build 28

Diseases in relation to build 29

Mass study of variation and heredity in build 36

Regression of progeny toward mediocrity 37

Hypothesis 40

Mate selection in build 44

The basal tables 46

PART III. Family studies in heredity of build 51

A. Statement of problem 51

B. Discussion of special matings 51

CLASS I. Both parents slender 51

Mating 1. One parent is very slender of slender stock;

the other slender 51

Mating 2. Both parents are slender, of slender stock 53

Mating 3. Other slender × very slender matings 54

Mating 4. Other slender × slender matings 56

Summary of slender × slender matings 68

CLASS II. Both parents fleshy 69

Mating 1. One parent is very fleshy, the other fleshy

of fleshy stock 69

Mating 2. Both parents fleshy of fleshy stock 77

Mating 3. Other very fleshy × very fleshy matings 80

Summary 85

CLASS III. Mating of slender with fleshy stock. The F₁

generation 86

Mating 1. One parent slender, of slender stock, the

other fleshy of fleshy stock 86

Mating 2. Other slender × fleshy matings 93

Mating 3. Very slender × very fleshy 97

Mating 4. Slender × very fleshy matings 98

Summary 105

CLASS IV. Matings of probably heterozygous parents. The

F₂ generation 107

Mating 1. Both parents either medium or fleshy, and

probably carrying gametes for slenderness as well

as fleshiness 107

Mating 2. Other medium × medium matings 118

Summary and discussion 119

CLASS V. The back cross 119

Mating 1. Heterozygous medium or fleshy × slender 119

Mating 2. Fleshy × heterozygous fleshy parents 132

Summary and discussion 140

C. General discussion 141

Heredity and environment in build 141

Endocrine glands as links between chromosomes and somatic

qualities 145

Evidence of segregation in the heredity of build 146

On the number of factors involved in fleshy build 149

D. Summary of conclusions 152

Appendix 155

Literature cited 175

Plates 177

BODY-BUILD AND ITS INHERITANCE

CHARLES BENEDICT DAVENPORT

_Director of Department of Genetics,

Carnegie Institution of Washington_

PART I.

BUILD, ITS DEFINITION AND ITS ONTOGENY.

A. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

If a hundred men of about the same stature be compared, it is seen

that they vary greatly in weight. At the same time they vary in form,

and especially in bulk. This variation is popularly recognized by the

variety of terms applied to build. It may be of interest to pause a

moment to consider popular terminology relating to build. We have, first,

terms expressing a marked deviation below the normal build. We speak of

persons as “slender,” “thin,” “gaunt,” “slim,” “slight,” “spare,” “lank,”

and “spindling.” These terms are not exactly synonyms. “Lank” implies

angularity; “gaunt” connotes the ravage of disease; “thin” connotes

a loss of weight; “slight” connotes lightness and smallness of bone;

“spindling” is used especially of youth in the period of rapid growth

preceding adolescence; “slim” has a faint connotation of insufficiency;

“slender” best expresses the idea which we shall want to use in this work

where we have a relatively small interest in stature and where we wish

to avoid connotation of disease, developmental changes, etc. In other

languages there exists a series of terms which similarly differ slightly

in connotation. Thus, in French, there is “maigre,” in German “mager,”

which often connote a loss of weight through disease, “dünn,” which

connotes loss of a former more nearly average weight, and “schlank,”

which is close to the English “slender.” On the other hand, the English

language contains a variety of terms applicable to deviation in build

above the average. Thus we have the words “stout,” “portly,” “fleshy,”

“corpulent,” “thick-set,” “obese,” “chubby,” and “fat.” The word “stout”

usually carries a connotation of vigor. The term “portly” connotes large

size with a tendency to excessively great circumference. “Fleshy” is

nearly synonymous with “portly” but has less connotation of majesty of

size. “Corpulent” usually carries a connotation of abdominal enlargement.

“Thick-set” implies a large bony frame. “Obese” frequently connotes

excessive, strictly pathological, increase of build. “Chubby” is applied

especially to infants. “Fat” connotes excessive production of fat in the

body, as opposed to an unusually large muscular development. Perhaps of

all of these terms “fleshy” is as satisfactory as any as an expression

for build without connotation in respect to degree or source of great

weight, whether due to fat, muscle, or bone. In the German language there

are the terms, “plump,” and “schwerfällig,” which serve to express large

build. In the French language there are the terms, “gros,” “obese,”

and “embonpoint,” which is near to the English equivalent “stout” or

“fleshy.” In the present work the term “fleshy” is used, despite its

slight suggestion of muscular development merely, largely because it

begins with a different letter from slender. The word “slender” will be

used for the other extreme of build. It has been found convenient to

indicate those terms by their initial letters “S” and “F” respectively.

Our main problem is, in how far does this difference in build between

slender and fleshy persons depend on constitutional factors?

TYPES OF VARIATION IN BUILD.

Two types of variation in build have to be distinguished: (_a_) the

ontogenetic change in normal build during development with increasing

stature, and (_b_) the change in weight in adults of relatively

invariable stature. In type _a_, stature and other proportions are

rapidly changing, but in type _b_, stature remains constant, and,

throughout the race, stature does not differ as much in mature persons as

it does from birth to maturity. These two types follow different laws and

must be studied by different methods. Consequently they are considered in

distinct parts of the present paper.

THE MEASUREMENT OF BUILD.

It is now necessary to consider how build may best be expressed

quantitatively. The subject of the best index of build has been much

discussed, but without sufficiently differentiating between the two types

of variation in build, the ontogenetic and the adult. One of the latest

authors to consider the matter is Bardeen (1920, p. 486), who mentions

the desirability of recording the volume of the body as a whole, notes

its impracticability, and concludes that we may estimate volume from

weight. It may, however, be doubted if volume is really involved in the

popular notion of build. At least, it is equally probable that the idea

of build, as popularly conceived, is a relation of transverse to vertical

diameters. When I look at a man, or a photograph of one as in plate 1,

and think, “he is slender,” it is because I make a mental comparison of

his breadth (of shoulders or chest) with his height and find that his

breadth in comparison with that of most men I know of that height is

small; or if he is stout the diameter of the chest is large in relation

to stature (plate 2). It seems probable that breadth in relation to

height gives the best expression of the popular idea of build. By the use

of this relation, build can be easily expressed for any age, since chest

circumference (which bears a nearly constant relation to chest diameter)

has been recorded for many persons of all ages.

_Ontogenetic._—Since in so many children and young people the stature and

chest circumference have been measured, it is possible to use these data

in finding the law of normal ontogenetic changes in build from birth

to maturity. This ratio, chest-girth ÷ stature, has thus been used in

discussing this law, as more fully described in section B. This relation

can be used for tracing the change in build of the same developing child

or for tracing the average change of build.

_Adult._—In the study of adult changes of build we start with the

condition that in the individual the stature is fixed. Consequently, in

an individual whose weight is changing, the relation of the build at _a_

years is to that at another period _n_ years later as chest-girth at

_a_ years : chest-girth at _a_ + _n_ years. Thus, in the adult period,

changes of build are proportional to chest-girth. In different persons,

of differing stature, the stature has to be taken into account, and the

differences in build are measured by the relation of relative chest-girth

as in children. Unfortunately, in our study of heredity in adult build,

we usually do not know the chest-girth of the different members of the

family, but only their stature and weight. Our problem is, then, to find

a relation between chest-girth and weight that will enable us to infer

the one from the other. This problem will be further considered in a

later section (p. 24).

SEXUAL DIFFERENCES IN BUILD.

Sex influences the body so profoundly that we have, first of all, to

consider its influence on build, either in early or in adult stages. At

birth there is, on the average, a difference between the sexes in weight.

The male is about 2.5 per cent heavier than the female (3,310 : 3,230

grams in German children, Daffner, 1902, p. 125, quoting Hecker;

3,606 : 3,485 grams in American children, Benedict and Talbot, 1915).

But this does not imply that the boy baby is the chubbier, since the

boy baby is longer by about 1.7 per cent than the girl baby. There is

no obvious difference in the chubbiness of the sexes at birth. Likewise,

in later infancy no obvious difference has been detected, though no

thoroughgoing studies have been made on this subject. In childhood and

youth children of different sex differ in build on the average, but this

is because the form of the ontogenetic curve of build is very different.

After maturity and cessation of growth, there is a marked difference in

form between the sexes. The female has more subcutaneous fat and appears

plumper. If the criterion of weight be applied, the complication arises

that the specific gravity of the female seems to be less than that of

the male (Bardeen, 1920, p. 488, following Meeh, 1895). As found by

Medico-Actuarial Mortality investigations of the Associated Life

Insurance Medical Directors of the Actuarial Society of America,

1912, volume I, p. 251: “The difference in weight between men and

women of the same height is slight under the age of 20, but above

that age young men are distinctly heavier than young women, the

difference becoming less marked as they grow older. The tall women

are markedly lighter than men of the same height.” The main reason

for the greater weight of young men is their relatively much greater

chest circumference.

TABLE 1.—_The distribution of frequencies of the various classes of build

of offspring derived from the various types of matings._

SUMMATION TABLE, MALES ONLY. BASED ON TABLE 11.

+-------+----------+-----------+-----------------------------+---------+

|Type of| No. of | No. of +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ No. |

| | | | VS | S | M | F | VF | female |

+-------+----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+

| VS×S | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |

| VS×M | 8 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 28 |

| VS×F | 5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 25 |

| S×S | 23 | 29 | 1 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 47 |

| S×M | 101 | 172 | 0 | 12 | 116 | 38 | 6 | 306 |

| S×F | 49 | 88 | 1 | 5 | 51 | 30 | 1 | 155 |

| S×VF | 11 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 34 |

| M×M | 92 | 178 | 0 | 18 | 117 | 40 | 3 | 327 |

| M×F | 114 | 194 | 0 | 9 | 118 | 58 | 9 | 340 |

| M×VF | 30 | 59 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 10 | 112 |

| F×F | 33 | 77 | 3 | 30 | 34 | 6 | 4 | 156 |

| F×VF | 30 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 28 | 7 | 100 |

| VF×VF | 7 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 30 |

| +----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+

| Total | 507 | 926 | 7 | 106 | 515 | 246 | 52 | 1,671 |

+-------+----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+

| Average build |25.00|29.03|33.64|39.15|49.09| |

+------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+

Average male index of build, 35.81 ± .12.

Standard deviation, 5.33 ± .084.

TABLE 2.—_The distribution of frequencies of the various classes of build

of offspring derived from the various types of matings._

SUMMATION TABLE, FEMALES ONLY. BASED ON TABLE 11A.

+-------+----------+-----------+-----------------------------+

|Type of| No. of | No. of +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

| | | | VS | S | M | F | VF |

| | | | | | | | |

+-------+----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

| VS×S | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

| VS×M | 8 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 |

| VS×F | 5 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 |

| S×S | 23 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

| S×M | 101 | 134 | 0 | 36 | 78 | 15 | 5 |

| S×F | 49 | 67 | 2 | 16 | 29 | 19 | 1 |

| S×VF | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 |

| M×M | 92 | 149 | 2 | 21 | 81 | 41 | 4 |

| M×F | 114 | 146 | 0 | 19 | 90 | 30 | 7 |

| M×VF | 30 | 53 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 12 | 7 |

| F×F | 33 | 79 | 0 | 12 | 30 | 27 | 10 |

| F×VF | 30 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 10 |

| VF×VF | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 |

| +----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

| Total | 507 | 745 | 12 | 136 | 384 | 167 | 46 |

+-------+----------+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

| Average build |24.17|28.69|33.41|39.23|46.76|

+------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Average female index of build, 34.54 ± .13.

Standard deviation, 5.13 ± .09.

Proceeding by a method to be developed later, I have divided adult build

into five classes, and counted for the various matings the number of

children falling into each. (See tables 1 and 2.) The average index of

build, obtained from the individual indices of build, is 2.52 (metric

system) or 35.81 ± 0.12 (English system) for males, and 2.43 (34.54 ±

0.13) for females, a difference of only 3.7 per cent in favor of the

males, a difference that for our purposes can be neglected. A separation

of the sexes in our studies will therefore be, ordinarily, not attempted,

and this has the advantage in giving us larger frequencies in our tables.

RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN BUILD.

That there are marked racial differences in build is notorious. The

slender Scotchman (plate 1, fig. 3) is in striking contrast with the

South Italian, Greek, or Russian Jew (plate 2, fig. 3). The Eskimo are

noted for their fleshiness, but Arctic conditions seem to favor large

build. (See Davenport and Love, 1921, p. 165.) Martin (1914, p. 248)

gives an average body-build of 1.42 (2.3 our system) for South Russian

Jews and 1.07 (1.7 our system) for Bushmen. Probably the Nilotic negroes

are the slenderest race on earth (Martin, 191, p. 254; for photograph see

Martin, p. 263, or Davenport, 1917, p. 347). The racial differences in

body-build are so great that, when feasible, race should be taken into

account in studies on body-build.

GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENCES IN BUILD.

Apart from race, it seems probable that climate influences build. The

races that live in the north polar region are of stout build, but this

may be a racial trait. On the other hand, the whites who come to live

near the pole are heavier than those who live near the equator. This may

be due to relative freedom in the subpolar area from certain diseases

which reduce weight. There may, however, be a physiological response

of the body to the long, cold winters. Whatever the explanation, men

from Alaska were found, at mobilization of the United States Army in

1917-18, to have a much higher index of build than those from any other

region, i. e., 2.28 (32.41);[1] North Dakota and South Dakota came next,

with indices of 2.24 (31.85) and 2.23 (31.73) respectively. These were

followed by Montana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Contrariwise, the recruits

from the Gulf States had a low index of build. Whatever the determining

causes, geographical differences in build do exist. Consequently, in

studies of build, it is desirable to consider the residences of the

persons studied.

[1] The method of measuring build is discussed at page 24. The smaller

index (usually lying between 1.5 and 4.5) is the metric index. The

larger index (20 up to 100) is the English system index, and is usually

expressed without decimals.

B. THE ONTOGENY OF BUILD.

From the time of fertilization of the egg it proceeds on its course of

development directed by its “hereditary factors,” but modifiable by the

conditions offered by the environment. Thus is determined the weight of

the baby at birth, and thus the build of the later stages to maturity

are directed. It has seemed useful to measure the changes in build from

birth to maturity, using the method of measuring build during development

described in an earlier section (p. 4).

MATERIALS AND METHODS.

The materials available for such a study are considerable and may be

drawn from a large number of different nationalities. A selection had to

be made from this material; there were chosen the best available series

from those nationalities most representative of the population of the

United States, considering the diversity of its European origin. Two sets

of data were utilized: first, collections of measurements made on males

from 1 year to 21 years; second, some collections from children of both

sexes from birth to 1 year of age.

The first collection of data is gathered from nine sources, listed

below. The data used are given in detail in table 3, which shows the

number of individuals measured by each observer at each age, the average

relative chest-girth at that age, and the average, for each age, of the

different averages of the relative chest-girths formed by each observer.

These averages are not weighted, since the racial stocks measured by the

different observers differed. The average of each observer has therefore

to be considered as a unit of nearly equal value with that of any other

(table 3).

1. Quetelet (1870) data. As Quetelet’s original book was not

available, the data reprinted in Bardeen (1920, p. 544) were

used. Quetelet measured 10 persons at each age from 1 to 20 years

(and older). He selected his subjects with good judgment and

the resulting curve of varying build is remarkably smooth. The

subjects were doubtless Belgians.

2. Weissenberg (1911) data. These were gathered by observations

on South Russian Jews. The numbers observed ranged from 15 males

at birth to about 40 to 100 at later ages. This series is of

especial value because such large numbers of individuals of each

age were measured and because in it are considered only children

as near as possible to their birthdays; that is, as 2 or 3 year

old children were taken those of exactly 2 or 3 years ± 2 months;

as 4, 5, and 6 year olds, 4, 5, and 6 years ± 3 months; as 7 and

8 years, 7 or 8 years ± 4 months. For older children the even

year ± 5 months was taken. The measurement was taken at the line

of the nipples and below the lower apex of the scapulæ; chest

apparently at rest.

3. Benedict and Talbot (1920) data. These were gathered from

healthy children of Boston, Massachusetts. Girth was taken at

the nipples, in a quiescent condition. The number of individuals

considered at each age is small (1 to 9), but the data are

precious, because so few have been published for the period 2 to

5 years.

4. Masters Day Nursery data. Original, from measurements made

upon healthy children in New York City. The chest was measured at

the line of the nipples in a quiescent condition. The numbers are

small, 2 per year.

5. Town (1922) data. A special study of 5 and 6 year old children

of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There were 31 and 11 children respectively.

6. Reitz (1904) data. A study of school children of Berlin,

Germany. Chest-girth measured “at rest.” From 23 to 209 at the

respective ages from 6 to 19 years, inclusive.

7. Baldwin (1921) data. A group of 60 boys of the well-to-do

class at the Horace Mann School, New York City, were measured

repeatedly in successive years from 7 to 17 years of age

inclusive. Chest at “normal” condition.

8. Godin (1903) data. Measurements taken annually on the same 100

boys in a French military school at St. Hippolyte-du-Fort, Gard.

Chest-girth below pectoralis in repose. Ages 13½ to 17 years

inclusive.

9. Hitchcock, Seeley, and Phillips (1900) data. Measurements made

on about 40 to 600 students at Amherst College at each age from

16 to 26 years inclusive. The chest-girth is made at the level of

the nipples and embraces the scapulæ.

TABLE 3.—_Average relative chest-girth (chest girth + stature) at

different ages from birth to maturity, males._

[According to the observations of 9 sets of observers. The main entries

of the table are given in 4 places of decimals (points omitted).

Immediately to the left of each main entry is given the number of persons

measured to obtain that average. The column on the extreme right gives

the (unweighted) average of the averages standing on the same line.]

+--------+------------+---------------+-----------+-----------+--------+

| | | |and Talbot.| Day | |

| +-----+------+------+--------+-----+-----+----+------+---+----+

| | No. | Avg. | No. | Avg. | No. | Avg.| No.| Avg. |No.|Avg.|

+--------+-----+------+------+--------+-----+-----+----+------+---+----+

| Birth | 10 | 5900 | | 5511 | 3 | 6600| | | | |

| 1 year | 10 | 6300 | | | 3 | 6300| | | | |

| 2 years| 10 | 5850 | 38 | 6005 | 6 | 6060| | | | |

| 3 years| 10 | 5600 | 38 | 5803 | 1 | 5760| | | | |

| 4 years| 10 | 5430 | 38 | 5567 | 2 | 5600| | | | |

| 5 years| 10 | 5300 | 55 | 5353 | 4 | 5340| 2 | 5263 | 31|5082|

| 6 years| 10 | 5200 | 55 | 5208 | 4 | 5040| 2 | 5136 | 11|4990|

| 7 years| 10 | 5110 | 81 | 5058 | 7 | 5190| 2 | 5072 | | |

| 8 years| 10 | 5040 | 95 | 5030 | 7 | 5100| | | | |

| 9 years| 10 | 4990 | 112 | 5016 | 7 | 5060| | | | |

|10 years| 10 | 4950 | 132 | 4952 | 5 | 5150| | | | |

|11 years| 10 | 4920 | 117 | 4911 | 9 | 4950| | | | |

|12 years| 10 | 4910 | 103 | 4780 | 6 | 4810| | | | |

|13 years| 10 | 4900 | 115 | 4850 | | | | | | |

|14 years| 10 | 4900 | 109 | 4866 | | | | | | |

|15 years| 10 | 4910 | 102 | 4923 | | | | | | |

|16 years| 10 | 4930 | 103 | 4888 | | | | | | |

|17 years| 10 | 4970 | 108 | 4929 | | | | | | |

|18 years| 10 | 5040 | 115 | 5046 | | | | | | |

|19 years| 10 | 5110 | 116 | 5076 | | | | | | |

|20 years| 10 | 5180 | 129 | 5040 | | | | | | |

|25 years| | 5250 | | | | | | | | |

+--------+-----+------+------+--------+-----+-----+----+------+---+----+

+--------+---------+-----------+---------+-------------+----------+

| | | | | | |

| +----+----+-----+-----+---+-----+------+------+ averages.|

| | No.|Avg.| No. | Avg.|No.|Avg. | No. | Avg. | |

+--------+----+----+-----+-----+---+-----+------+------+----------+

| Birth | | | | | | | | | 6004 |

| 1 year | | | | | | | | | 6300 |

| 2 years| | | | | | | | | 5972 |

| 3 years| | | | | | | | | 5721 |

| 4 years| | | | | | | | | 5532 |

| 5 years| | | | | | | | | 5268 |

| 6 years| | | | | | | | | 5115 |

| 7 years| | | 60 | 4852| | | | | 5056 |

| 8 years| | | 60 | 4821| | | | | 4998 |

| 9 years| 168|4573| 60 | 4805| | | | | 4889 |

|10 years| 181|4569| 60 | 4793| | | | | 4883 |

|11 years| 209|4595| 60 | 4740| | | | | 4823 |

|12 years| 189|4546| 60 | 4731| | | | | 4755 |

|13 years| 143|4542| 60 | 4762|100| 4966| | | 4804 |

|14 years| 158|4506| 60 | 4745|100| 5071| | | 4818 |

|15 years| 140|4550| 60 | 4813|100| 5166| | | 4872 |

|16 years| 117|4626| 60 | 4870|100| 5295| 40 | 5000 | 4935 |

|17 years| 70|4598| 60 | 4974|100| 5296| 250 | 4968 | 4956 |

|18 years| 40|4684| | | | | 600 | 5003 | 4943 |

|19 years| 23|4833| | | | | 600 | 5089 | 5027 |

|20 years| | | | | | | 600 | 5136 | 5119 |

|21 years| | | | | | | 600 | 5205 | 5205 |

|25 years| | | | | | | | 5291 | 5271 |

+--------+----+----+-----+-----+---+-----+------+------+----------+

Owing to the complex nature of the curve of build during the first year

of development, special collections of data were made for this portion of

the curve (table 4). They are listed as follows:

1. Original data contributed by Dr. Bret Ratner, pediatrician,

of New York, being measurements made in May and June, 1922, of

weight, length, and chest circumference on 11 babies at the

Manhattan Maternity Hospital during each of the first 10 days

after birth. There were 9 boys and 2 girls. Judging alone by the

surnames, there were apparently of British stock 6, of German

stock 2, of Italian stock 2, and of Spanish stock 1. It is very

difficult to measure length and chest-girth of infants. Length

“on birthday” was generally taken with the child suspended by its

feet, chest-girth with the chest as quiet as possible. The first

measurement was taken as soon as the baby was born, and each

morning thereafter at 8ʰ30ᵐ a.m. The later lengths were measured

on a graduated board.

2. New York Milk Station data collected by Miss Louise A. Nelson

and Miss Margaret R. Babcock, of the Eugenics Record Office

staff. They were made during May and June 1922, on healthy

babies, without clothing. The length was measured with the aid

of a graduated board. Boys and girls were both included, as at

this age their build is not very different, on the average. The

numbers ranged from 4 to 52 for the various months from 0.5 month

to 13 months by 0.5-month intervals.

3. Ratner advanced data. Original data secured by Dr. Bret Ratner

(at Manhattan Maternity Hospital, New York City, on healthy

children whose parents brought them repeatedly to the hospital)

and kindly given to the writer for this study. In this series,

observations are especially abundant at 1, 1.5, and 2 months (47,

170, and 30 cases respectively).

4. Grover (1915) data. Boys only among out-patients of the

Children’s Hospital, Boston, and visitors at milk stations. No

clothing. Chest measured at level of nipples, midway between

inspiration and expiration. Length measured on graduated board.

From 2 to 5 at each month of age.

5. Benedict and Talbot (1920) data. (See No. 3, p. 9.) One to 6

individuals at the various months.

6. Schmid-Monnard (1892) data. Copied from Bardeen (1920, page

542). Boys and girls measured at Frankfort am Main, Germany. 8 to

67 in respective months. Ages 1 to 13 months and up to 30 months.

7. Crum (1915) data. Average measurements of babies without

regard to sex, 193 to 264 per month, mostly baby-show babies and

hence strongly selected. Various parts of the United States.

From the foregoing collections of data, tables 3, 4, and 5 were drawn

up, giving for each age the mean relative chest-girth found by each

observer. Also, the number of individuals upon which the measurement is

based, necessary for weighting the mean. The mean of all measurements was

weighted in table 4, but not in table 3 for the reasons stated on page 8.

TABLE 4.—_Average relative chest-girth of infants from birth to 13

months._

[Obtained from 6 series of observations, described on pages 12, 13.

The main entries of the table are given in 4 places of decimals (point

omitted). Immediately to the left of each main entry is given the number

of persons measured to obtain that average. The column at the extreme

right gives the weighted averages of the averages standing in the same

line.]

+----------+----------+----------+----------+

| | | 2. N. Y. | |

| Time. | |(♂ and ♀.)| |

| +----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+

| | No.| Avg.| No.| Avg.| No.| Avg.|

+----------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+

|2 weeks | 32| 6641| 4 | 6533| | |

|1 month | 47| 6602| 26 | 6504| 2 | 5861|

|1.5 months| 170| 6772| 36 | 6639| | |

|2 months | 30| 6670| 52 | 6623| 4 | 6661|

|3 months | 11| 6700| 49 | 6566| 3 | 6220|

|4 months | 12| 6542| 39 | 6542| 3 | 6157|

|5 months | 10| 6492| 26 | 6522| 3 | 6278|

|6 months | 8| 6500| 39 | 6542| 5 | 6278|

|7 months | 10| 6720| 27 | 6424| 3 | 6203|

|8 months | 3| 6267| 23 | 6317| 4 | 6464|

|9 months | 3| 6550| 26 | 6364| 3 | 6060|

|10 months | 2| 6200| 18 | 6431| 2 | 6237|

|11 months | 1| 6600| 13 | 6354| 2 | 5868|

|12 months | 1| 5800| 8 | 6271| 1 | 5691|

|13 months | | | 11 | 6186| | |

+----------+----+-----+----+-----+----+-----+

+----------+-----------+----------+----------+-----+

| +----+------+----+-----+----+-----+ |

| | No.| Avg. | No.| Avg.| No.| Avg.| |

+----------+----+------+----+-----+----+-----+-----+

|2 weeks | 3 | 6599 | | | | | 6627|

|1 month | 2 | 6249 | 67 | 6280| | | 6419|

|1.5 months| 4 | 6574 | | | | | 6745|

|2 months | 3 | 6765 | 44 | 6470| | | 6512|

|3 months | 4 | 6529 | 37 | 6040| | | 6382|

|4 months | 4 | 6304 | 30 | 6510| | | 6507|

|5 months | 3 | 6455 | 37 | 6230| | | 6368|

|6 months | 6 | 6117 | 27 | 6540| 259| 6556| 6540|

|7 months | 3 | 6500 | 19 | 6240| 256| 6468| 6456|

|8 months | 1 | 6308 | 16 | 6400| 232| 6470| 6450|

|9 months | 4 | 6352 | 29 | 6160| 211| 6355| 6333|

|10 months | 2 | 6110 | 17 | 6400| 209| 6404| 6400|

|11 months | 1 | 6174 | 15 | 6120| 193| 6336| 6318|

|12 months | 1 | 6383 | 22 | 6090| 289| 6298| 6280|

|13 months | 1 | 6026 | 19 | 6080| 264| 6235| 6222|

+----------+-----------+----+-----+----+-----+-----+

It will be observed that the means of build differ, for the constant age,

more than do the differences between successive ages. That is to say, the

absolute difference between races at any given age is greater than the

average differences between one year and the next.

The mean relative chest circumferences for the different ages are plotted

in figure 2.

THE ONTOGENETIC CURVE OF BUILD.

The resulting curve of build from birth to maturity is given in figure 1.

This curve shows that build in males is greatest at birth, or at about

1 month, and that it then steadily diminishes to 12 years of age. It

then slowly increases to maturity, and indeed to 30 years, after which it

increases with extreme slowness, probably to 55 years.

[Illustration: FIG. 1.—Polygon of development of relative chest-girth,

male.

Abscissæ: Age in years. Ordinates (chest ÷ girth/stature) × 1000. Based

on averages of the measurements of Quetelet (Belgians), Weissenberg

(Russian Jews), Benedict and Talbot (U.S.A.), Masters Day Nursery, N. Y.

City, Town (Iowa children), Gray and Jacobs (school boys, well-to-do),

Reitz (Germans), Godin (French), Hitchcock (U.S.A. college men), Baldwin

(N. Y. City schools).]

From table 4A and the curve of build, figure 2, we see that the infant

at birth has a chest-girth which is somewhat over two-thirds of stature

(0.6685). It falls rapidly to one month after birth, and then begins to

rise. This minimum is connected with the loss of weight which follows

birth, and is due to the difficulty of making adjustments to the new

conditions which the organism has to meet. This adjustment is soon

thereafter completed and within 2 months chest-girth and weight are not

only recovered, but have caught up with increasing length of body. At 6

weeks the body has reached its maximum post-natal chubbiness. Another

temporary loss in chubbiness occurs at about 8 months, due perhaps to

the cutting of the incisors. The decline which subsequently ensues is

prevailingly due to the rapid growth of the legs without corresponding

increase in transverse diameter (plates 3 and 4). At about 12 years the

boy enters the awkward age when, his legs and arms having grown from 5

to 10 cm. in a single year, he has not yet acquired muscular control

of them (plate 7, fig. 2). At the same time his trunk retains childish

proportions (plate 5, fig. 12). A little earlier than the boy, the girl

enters the “Backfisch” stage of similar slenderness and awkwardness

(plate 7, fig. 3, from Stratz, 1922, p. 258). It is commonly believed

that this rapid growth of the appendages and their long bones is

controlled by the secretions of the pituitary gland. Gradually in the

boy, at 14 years, as the gonads begin to ripen, the growth of the legs is

retarded and the transverse chest diameter begins to increase rapidly;

the lad is quickly transformed into a broad-shouldered, broad-chested,

stocky man (plate 3, fig. 3, plate 5, fig. 8) and accordingly the curve

of build rises much more in the young man than in the young woman (plate

7, figs. 4 and 5). Consequently the adult female build, as measured

by relative chest circumference, is relatively small. At about 19 or

20 years’ growth in stature has usually practically ceased. Meanwhile

chest-girth increases slowly by the enlargement of trunk muscles and

deposition of fat. Weight is, indeed, stated to increase, on the average,

until the age of 55 years (tables 6 and 7).

[Illustration: FIG. 2.—Polygon of relative chest-girth in infants, from

birth to fourteen months, with smoothed curve of build (dotted line).

Data from New York Milk Stations and Dr. B. Ratner.]

TABLE 4A.—_Weight, chest-girth, length of body, and relative chest-girth

at birth and daily thereafter at 8ʰ30ᵐ for 10 days for 11 babies._

[Data furnished by Bret Ratner, M.D., from Manhattan Maternity Hospital

and Dispensary, New York City. Weight in grams; chest-girth and length

in millimeters. Relative chest-girth in ten-thousandths. Final average

relative chest girth is multiplied by 1.037 to adjust to Table 4.]

+---------------+---------------+------+-------+-------+-------+-------

| |Measurements, | At | 1st | 2nd | 3d | 4th

| | etc. |birth.| day. | day. | day. | day.

+---------------+---------------+------+-------+-------+-------+-------

|No. 1, male. |{Weight | 2126 |2084 |1970 |1899 |1885

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27.75| 27

| V 30, 2ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 45 | 43.75| 43.13| 42.75| 43

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6400 |6493 |6491 |6279

| | | | | | |

|No. 2, male. |{Weight | 3472 |3494 |3423 |3366 |3430

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 35 | 35 | 34.25| 33 | 33.5

| V 30, 2ʰ25ᵐ |{Body-length | 52 | 52.25| 51.5 | 50.75| 51.5

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6699 |6651 |6503 |6505

| | | | | | |

|No. 3, male. |{Weight | 2963 |2927 |2842 |2729 |2736

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 33 | 32.25| 31 | 31 | 32

| V 30, 19ʰ35ᵐ |{Body-length | 50 | 50.5 | 49 | 49 | 49.25

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6386 |6327 |6327 |6498

| | | | | | |

|No. 4, male. |{Weight | 3558 |3487 |3303 |3154 |3204

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 34 | 34 | 33.5 | 33.25| 34

| V 30, 13ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 52 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 51.75

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6667 |6701 |6650 |6570

| | | | | | |

|No. 5, male. |{Weight | 3005 |3305 |2913 |2856 |2892

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32

| VI 1, 3ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 52 | 51 | 51 | 50.75| 51

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6078 |6078 |6108 |6275

| | | | | | |

|No. 6, male. |{Weight |3019 |2913 |2877 |2750 |2863

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 32.5| 31.75| 31.25| 31.75| 31.75

| VI 1, 12ʰ45ᵐ |{Body-length | 49 | 49 | 49.25| 49.25| 49.25

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6480 |6345 |6447 |6414

| | | | | | |

|No. 7, male. |{Weight |3175 |3147 |3005 |2962 |2892

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 33 | 32.5 | 32 | 32 | 31

| VI 1, 23ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 50 | 51.25| 50.75| 50.75| 51

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6342 |6305 |6305 |6078

| | | | | | |

|No. 8, female. |{Weight |2835 |2750 |2679 |2587 |2587

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 31.5| 32.5 | 31 | 31 | 31

| VI 3, 22ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 50 | 48.75| 48.75| 49 | 49

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6667 |6359 |6327 |6327

| | | | | | |

|No. 9, male. |{Weight |3657 |3657 |3572 |3381 |3366

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 33 | 33.5 | 33 | 33 | 33.5

| VI 5, 23ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 53 | 53 | 52.5 | 53.5 | 53.5

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6321 |6286 |6168 |6262

| | | | | | |

|No. 10, male. |{Weight |3232 |3118 |2948 |2821 |2814

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 32 | 34 | 31 | 31 | 31

| VI 6. 7ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 52 | 51.25| 50 | 51.5 | 51.5

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6244 |6800 |6019 |6019

| | | | | | |

|No. 11, female.|{Weight |3303 |3175 |3076 |2962 |2934

| Time of birth,|{Ch. girth | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33

| VI 5, 17ʰ00ᵐ |{Body-length | 52 | 50.25| 50 | 50 | 50

| |{Rel. ch. girth| |6766 |6800 |6600 |6600

| +======+=======+=======+=======+=======

| chest-girth | |710483 |711435 |699448 |698260

| chest-girth × 1.037 | 661 | 670 | 671 | 659 | 658

+-------------------------------+------+-------+-------+-------+-------

-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |

day. | day. | day. | day. | day. | day. |

-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

1821 |1871 |1899 |1899 |1899 |1928 |

26.5 | 27.5 | 27.5 | 28 | 27.5 | 27.5 |

43 | 42 | 42.25| 42.25| 43 | 43.75|

6163 |6548 |6509 |6627 |6395 |6286 |

| | | | | |

3466 |3529 |3508 |3515 |3529 |3572 |

34 | 33.5 | 33 | 33.5 | 33.5 | 33.5 |

52.25| 52.25| 52.25| 52.5 | 52.5 | 52.5 |

6507 |6412 |6416 |6381 |6381 |6381 |

| | | | | |

2835 |2821 |2849 |2835 |2913 |2927 |

32.5 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32.5 | 32.5 |

49.5 | 49.5 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50.25|

6566 |6465 |6200 |6200 |6500 |6468 |

| | | | | |

3303 |3359 |3409 |3416 |3473 |3494 |

33.5 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34.5 |

51.5 | 51.5 | 51.25| 51.25| 51.5 | 51.5 |

6505 |6602 |6634 |6634 |6602 |6699 |

| | | | | |

2906 |2991 |3069 |3104 |3125 |3147 |

32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 |

51 | 51.25| 51.5 | 52 | 52 | 51.25|

6275 |6079 |6214 |6346 |6346 |6244 |

| | | | | |

2828 |2927 |2849 |2906 |2962 |2977 |

32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31.5 | 32 |

48.75| 49 | 50 | 50 | 50.5 | 50.5 |

6564 |6530 |6400 |6400 |6238 |6337 |

| | | | | |

2906 |2941 |2984 |2969 |3012 |3026 |

31.5 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |

51 | 51 | 51.75| 51.75| 51.75| 52.75|

6177 |6275 |6184 |6184 |6184 |6184 |

| | | | | |

2629 |2651 |2672 |2693 |2750 |2722 |

31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 |

49.5 | 49.5 | 49.5 | 49.5 | 50 | 49.5 |

6263 |6263 |6060 |6263 |6200 |6263 |

| | | | | |

3473 |3487 |3544 |3544 |3565 |3536 |

33.5 | 33.5 | 33 | 33 | 33.5 | 33.5 |

53.5 | 53.5 | 54 | 54 | 54.5 | 53.75|

6262 |6262 |6111 |6111 |6147 |6233 |

| | | | | |

2835 |2849 |2870 |2877 |2948 |2941 |

31 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 31.5 |

51.5 | 51.5 | 51.5 | 51.5 | 52 | 52 |

6019 |6019 |6117 |6117 |6058 |6058 |

| | | | | |

2955 |2962 |3033 |3059 |3033 |2984 |

32.5 | 32.5 | 32.5 | 32.5 | 32.5 | 33 |

50 | 50 | 50.25| 50.25| 50.25| 50.75|

6500 |6500 |6467 |6467 |6467 |6503 |

=======+=======+=======+=======+=======+=======+

| | | | | |

697994 |699232 |692119 |697300 |695178 |696529 |

| | | | | |

658 | 659 | 652 | 657 | 655 | 655 |

-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

It may be well to consider briefly, necessarily somewhat speculatively,

the significance of this ontogenetic change in build. First of all,

the high relative chest circumference of infancy is due chiefly to the

extremely short legs of the infant. Leg-length constitutes only about 40

per cent of stature at birth, whereas it comes to constitute 53 to 55

per cent at maturity. Consequently, the relative leg-length at infancy

is only a trifle more than 70 per cent of the adult relative leg-length.

Likewise the leg-length of the gorilla is about 70 per cent that of

a European man (German, cf. Martin, 1914, p. 308). Consequently the

relative leg-length of the infant, at birth, is to that of the adult

as the relative leg-length of an anthropoid ape is to the relative

leg-length of man. Incidentally, it may be added that the relative length

of the arm of the infant is only slightly (8 per cent) less than that of

the adult, while in the chimpanzee the relative arm-length is 18 per cent

_greater_ than that of man.

We have seen that the relative leg-length of the boy increases to about

12 years and thereafter diminishes to the period of completed growth.

The white man has his greatest leg-length shortly before adolescence. We

find that among the races of mankind it is the long-legged negro tribes

of East Africa, especially the upper Nile (Johnston, 1906. II, p. 932),

which are among the lowest races of mankind, and which seem to represent

in the adult the physical stage through which the white boy passes at 12

years. Other African tribes have, indeed, relatively shorter legs and

thus show a persisting adult stage that is either slightly younger or

slightly older than that of the 12-year-old white boy.

Figure 1 (to return to it after this digression) seems thus adequately to

measure the varying build of humans from birth to past maturity. It may,

indeed, be regarded as composed of two parts: first, that from birth to

the cessation of growth in stature, and second, that beyond cessation of

growth in stature.

The curve of build thus obtained is, apart from the first period of

adjustment that follows birth, a smoothly flowing one, that might indeed

be expressed by a formula

_y_ = _ax_ + _bx²_ + _cx³_ + _dx⁴_, etc.

The curve of build of figure 1 seems to be new in this form. It is,

however, of the same general shape as the curve of varying “Körperfülle”

drawn by Martin (1914, p. 246) from Quetelet’s data and based on the

relation of weight ÷ stature³. The numbers of children considered

in Martin’s figure are inadequate and there is hardly sufficient

justification for the use of this formula to express changes of build

during ontogeny.

The ontogenetic curve of build may serve as a graphic representation of

the stages of development as listed by Stratz (1922). These stages are

shown in table 5.

TABLE 5.—_Growth-periods in children._

[Modified from C. W. Stratz, 1922, p. 87.]

+------------+-------------------------------------------------------+

|Year of age.| First (neutral) child age. |

+------------+-------------------------------------------------------+

| 0 to 1 | Infancy. Lactation. |

+------------+-------------------------------------------------------+

| 1 to 2 |} |

| 2 3 |} First period of filling out. |

| 3 4 |} |

| | |

| 4 5 |} |

| 5 6 |} First stretching. |

| 6 7 |} |

+============+=======================================================+

| | Second (bisexual) child age. Youth. |

+------------+--------------------------+----------------------------+

| | Boys. | Girls. |

+------------+--------------------------+----------------------------+

| 7 to 8 |} Second period of | Second period of |

| 8 9 |} filling out. | filling out (rounding |

| 9 10 |} | of hips and legs). |

| | | |

| 10 11 |} | |

| 11 12 |} Second stretching | Second stretching |

| 12 13 |} (shooting up in | (shooting up in stature).|

| 13 14 |} stature). Change | Menstruation; beginning |

| 14 15 |} of voice. | breast development. |

| | | |

| 15 16 |} | |

| 16 17 |} Third period of filling | Third period of fullness |

| 17 18 |} out (broadening of | (rapid increase |

| 18 19 |} chest; rapid increase | in weight). Maturity. |

| 19 20 |} in weight). Maturity. | |

+------------+--------------------------+----------------------------+

LATER ONTOGENETIC CHANGES IN INDIVIDUAL BUILD.

Any investigation of the heredity of build is apt to meet with the

difficulty that only the present weights and statures of children,

parents, and grandparents are known; that the persons are of different

ages and hence the data concerning them are not precisely comparable.

Even if we exclude from consideration children of the rapid

developmental period, under 18 years of age, still we have the problem of

individual change of build in mature life. Since stature is practically

immutable at this period, change in build may be measured by change in

weight. That change in weight does occur is notorious. Figures 3 to 6

illustrate graphically the changes in weight in various individuals from

records taken almost at random. In figure 3 the curves of increasing

weight run rapidly upward; in figure 4 they go up and then fall again; in

figure 6 they are more nearly horizontal.

[Illustration: FIG. 3.—Changes in weight from 25 to 50 or 60 years

of father (F), mother (M), and son (S) in D: BOL-1 family, showing a

consistent history of rapid increase of build with age.]

[Illustration: FIG. 4.—Changes in weight from 25 (or 40) years to 45

(or 75) years of father (F), mother (M), and daughter (D) in D: BOL-1A

family, showing a history of fluctuating build.]

[Illustration: FIG. 5.—Changes in weight from 25 to 45 years of 3 sibs

belonging to the D: HAY-1 family, showing a slight tendency to increase

with age.]

[Illustration: FIG. 6.—Changes in weight from 15 to 50 years in 4 sibs of

the D: BAN-1 family, showing no great tendency to change of build during

life.]

On the whole, the weight tends to increase with age. This is shown by the

tables of the “Medico-Actuarial Mortality Investigation” (vol. 1, pp. 38

and 67). The tables are reproduced in our tables 6 and 7. They show that,

on the average, weight tends to increase with age up to 50 or 51 years.

The fact that there is, on the average, an increase in build, makes

necessary an adjustment in some cases of the youthful indices of children

to make them comparable with the adult indices of their parents.

The adjustment was made to the weight of the child by finding in the

appropriate column of stature and line of age the expected weight and

adding the difference between this weight and the weight in the same

column opposite the mid-parental age to the given weight of the child.

TABLE 6.—_Graded average weight of men of different statures at various

ages._

[Copied from Table IV of “Medico-actuarial mortality investigations.”]

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

|years.| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 107 | 109 | 112 | 115 | 118 | 122 |

| 16 | 109 | 111 | 114 | 117 | 120 | 124 |

| 17 | 111 | 113 | 116 | 119 | 122 | 126 |

| 18 | 113 | 115 | 118 | 121 | 124 | 128 |

| 19 | 115 | 117 | 120 | 123 | 126 | 130 |

| | | | | | | |

| 20 | 117 | 119 | 122 | 125 | 128 | 132 |

| 21 | 118 | 120 | 123 | 126 | 130 | 134 |

| 22 | 119 | 121 | 124 | 127 | 131 | 135 |

| 23 | 120 | 122 | 125 | 128 | 132 | 136 |

| 24 | 121 | 123 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 137 |

| | | | | | | |

| 25 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 137 |

| 26 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 130 | 134 | 138 |

| 27 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 131 | 134 | 138 |

| 28 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 132 | 135 | 139 |

| 29 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 133 | 136 | 140 |

| | | | | | | |

| 30 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 133 | 136 | 140 |

| 31 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 134 | 137 | 141 |

| 32 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 134 | 137 | 141 |

| 33 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 134 | 137 | 141 |

| 34 | 128 | 130 | 132 | 135 | 138 | 142 |

| | | | | | | |

| 35 | 128 | 130 | 132 | 135 | 138 | 142 |

| 36 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 136 | 139 | 143 |

| 37 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 136 | 140 | 144 |

| 38 | 130 | 132 | 134 | 137 | 140 | 144 |

| 39 | 130 | 132 | 134 | 137 | 140 | 144 |

| | | | | | | |

| 40 | 131 | 133 | 135 | 138 | 141 | 145 |

| 41 | 131 | 133 | 135 | 138 | 141 | 145 |

| 42 | 132 | 134 | 136 | 139 | 142 | 146 |

| 43 | 132 | 134 | 136 | 139 | 142 | 146 |

| 44 | 133 | 135 | 137 | 140 | 143 | 147 |

| | | | | | | |

| 45 | 133 | 135 | 137 | 140 | 143 | 147 |

| 46 | 134 | 136 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 |

| 47 | 134 | 136 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 |

| 48 | 134 | 136 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 |

| 49 | 134 | 136 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 |

| | | | | | | |

| 50 | 134 | 136 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 |

| 51 | 135 | 137 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 149 |

| 52 | 135 | 137 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 149 |

| 53 | 135 | 137 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 149 |

| 54 | 135 | 137 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 149 |

| 55 | | | | | | |

|and up| 135 | 137 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 149 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

|years.| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 126 | 130 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 147 |

| 16 | 128 | 132 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 149 |

| 17 | 130 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 146 | 151 |

| 18 | 132 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 148 | 153 |

| 19 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 155 |

| | | | | | | |

| 20 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 156 |

| 21 | 138 | 141 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 157 |

| 22 | 139 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 154 | 158 |

| 23 | 140 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 155 | 159 |

| 24 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 156 | 160 |

| | | | | | | |

| 25 | 141 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 157 | 162 |

| 26 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 154 | 158 | 163 |

| 27 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 154 | 158 | 163 |

| 28 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 155 | 159 | 164 |

| 29 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 156 | 160 | 165 |

| | | | | | | |

| 30 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 |

| 31 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 157 | 162 | 167 |

| 32 | 145 | 149 | 154 | 158 | 163 | 168 |

| 33 | 145 | 149 | 154 | 159 | 164 | 169 |

| 34 | 146 | 150 | 155 | 160 | 165 | 170 |

| | | | | | | |

| 35 | 146 | 150 | 155 | 160 | 165 | 170 |

| 36 | 147 | 151 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 |

| 37 | 148 | 152 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 172 |

| 38 | 148 | 152 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 173 |

| 39 | 148 | 152 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 173 |

| | | | | | | |

| 40 | 149 | 153 | 158 | 163 | 168 | 174 |

| 41 | 149 | 153 | 158 | 163 | 168 | 174 |

| 42 | 150 | 154 | 159 | 164 | 169 | 175 |

| 43 | 150 | 154 | 159 | 164 | 169 | 175 |

| 44 | 151 | 155 | 160 | 165 | 170 | 176 |

| | | | | | | |

| 45 | 151 | 155 | 160 | 165 | 170 | 176 |

| 46 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 177 |

| 47 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 177 |

| 48 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 177 |

| 49 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 177 |

| | | | | | | |

| 50 | 152 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 177 |

| 51 | 153 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 172 | 178 |

| 52 | 153 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 172 | 178 |

| 53 | 153 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 172 | 178 |

| 54 | 153 | 158 | 163 | 168 | 173 | 178 |

| 55 | | | | | | |

|and up| 153 | 158 | 163 | 168 | 173 | 178 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |

|years.| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 152 | 157 | 162 | 167 | 172 | 177 |

| 16 | 154 | 159 | 164 | 169 | 174 | 179 |

| 17 | 156 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 176 | 181 |

| 18 | 158 | 163 | 168 | 173 | 178 | 183 |

| 19 | 160 | 165 | 170 | 175 | 180 | 185 |

| | | | | | | |

| 20 | 161 | 166 | 171 | 176 | 181 | 186 |

| 21 | 162 | 167 | 172 | 177 | 182 | 187 |

| 22 | 163 | 168 | 173 | 178 | 183 | 188 |

| 23 | 164 | 169 | 175 | 180 | 185 | 190 |

| 24 | 165 | 171 | 177 | 182 | 187 | 192 |

| | | | | | | |

| 25 | 167 | 173 | 179 | 184 | 189 | 194 |

| 26 | 168 | 174 | 180 | 186 | 191 | 196 |

| 27 | 169 | 175 | 181 | 187 | 192 | 197 |

| 28 | 170 | 176 | 182 | 188 | 193 | 198 |

| 29 | 171 | 177 | 183 | 189 | 194 | 199 |

| | | | | | | |

| 30 | 172 | 178 | 184 | 190 | 196 | 201 |

| 31 | 173 | 179 | 185 | 191 | 197 | 202 |

| 32 | 174 | 180 | 185 | 192 | 198 | 203 |

| 33 | 175 | 181 | 187 | 193 | 199 | 204 |

| 34 | 176 | 182 | 188 | 194 | 200 | 206 |

| | | | | | | |

| 35 | 176 | 182 | 189 | 195 | 201 | 207 |

| 36 | 177 | 183 | 190 | 196 | 202 | 208 |

| 37 | 178 | 184 | 191 | 197 | 203 | 209 |

| 38 | 179 | 185 | 192 | 198 | 204 | 210 |

| 39 | 179 | 185 | 192 | 199 | 205 | 211 |

| | | | | | | |

| 40 | 180 | 186 | 193 | 200 | 206 | 212 |

| 41 | 180 | 186 | 193 | 200 | 207 | 213 |

| 42 | 181 | 187 | 194 | 201 | 208 | 214 |

| 43 | 181 | 187 | 194 | 201 | 208 | 214 |

| 44 | 182 | 188 | 195 | 202 | 209 | 215 |

| | | | | | | |

| 45 | 182 | 188 | 195 | 202 | 209 | 215 |

| 46 | 183 | 189 | 196 | 203 | 210 | 216 |

| 47 | 183 | 190 | 197 | 204 | 211 | 217 |

| 48 | 183 | 190 | 197 | 204 | 211 | 217 |

| 49 | 183 | 190 | 197 | 204 | 211 | 217 |

| | | | | | | |

| 50 | 183 | 190 | 197 | 204 | 211 | 217 |

| 51 | 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 212 | 218 |

| 52 | 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 212 | 218 |

| 53 | 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 212 | 218 |

| 54 | 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 212 | 219 |

| 55 | | | | | | |

|and up| 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 212 | 219 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

TABLE 7.—-_Graded average weight of women of different statures at

various ages._

[Copied from Table IX of “Medico-actuarial mortality investigations.”]

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |

|years.| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | | 1 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 101 | 103 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 109 |

| 16 | 102 | 104 | 106 | 117 | 120 | 124 |

| 17 | 103 | 105 | 107 | 109 | 111 | 113 |

| 18 | 104 | 106 | 108 | 110 | 112 | 114 |

| 19 | 105 | 107 | 109 | 111 | 113 | 115 |

| | | | | | | |

| 20 | 106 | 108 | 110 | 112 | 114 | 116 |

| 21 | 107 | 109 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 |

| 22 | 107 | 109 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 |

| 23 | 108 | 110 | 112 | 114 | 116 | 118 |

| 24 | 109 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 |

| | | | | | | |

| 25 | 109 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 |

| 26 | 110 | 112 | 114 | 116 | 118 | 120 |

| 27 | 110 | 112 | 114 | 116 | 118 | 120 |

| 28 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 |

| 29 | 111 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 |

| | | | | | | |

| 30 | 112 | 114 | 116 | 118 | 120 | 122 |

| 31 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 123 |

| 32 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 123 |

| 33 | 114 | 116 | 118 | 120 | 122 | 124 |

| 34 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 125 |

| | | | | | | |

| 35 | 115 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 125 |

| 36 | 116 | 118 | 120 | 122 | 124 | 126 |

| 37 | 116 | 118 | 120 | 122 | 124 | 126 |

| 38 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 125 | 127 |

| 39 | 118 | 120 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 128 |

| | | | | | | |

| 40 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 129 |

| 41 | 120 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 |

| 42 | 120 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 |

| 43 | 121 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 |

| 44 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 132 |

| | | | | | | |

| 45 | 122 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 132 |

| 46 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 |

| 47 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 |

| 48 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 132 | 134 |

| 49 | 124 | 126 | 128 | 130 | 132 | 134 |

| | | | | | | |

| 50 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

| 51 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

| 52 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

| 53 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

| 54 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

| 55 | 125 | 127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

|years.| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 112 | 115 | 118 | 122 | 126 | 130 |

| 16 | 128 | 132 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 149 |

| 17 | 116 | 119 | 122 | 125 | 129 | 133 |

| 18 | 117 | 120 | 123 | 126 | 130 | 134 |

| 19 | 118 | 121 | 124 | 127 | 131 | 135 |

| | | | | | | |

| 20 | 119 | 122 | 125 | 128 | 132 | 136 |

| 21 | 120 | 123 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 137 |

| 22 | 120 | 123 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 137 |

| 23 | 121 | 124 | 127 | 130 | 134 | 138 |

| 24 | 121 | 124 | 127 | 130 | 134 | 138 |

| | | | | | | |

| 25 | 121 | 124 | 128 | 131 | 135 | 139 |

| 26 | 122 | 125 | 128 | 131 | 135 | 139 |

| 27 | 122 | 125 | 129 | 132 | 136 | 140 |

| 28 | 123 | 126 | 130 | 133 | 137 | 141 |

| 29 | 123 | 126 | 130 | 133 | 137 | 141 |

| | | | | | | |

| 30 | 124 | 127 | 131 | 134 | 138 | 142 |

| 31 | 125 | 128 | 132 | 135 | 139 | 143 |

| 32 | 125 | 128 | 132 | 136 | 140 | 144 |

| 33 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 137 | 141 | 145 |

| 34 | 127 | 130 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 146 |

| | | | | | | |

| 35 | 127 | 130 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 146 |

| 36 | 128 | 131 | 135 | 139 | 143 | 147 |

| 37 | 129 | 132 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 148 |

| 38 | 130 | 133 | 137 | 141 | 145 | 149 |

| 39 | 131 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 146 | 150 |

| | | | | | | |

| 40 | 132 | 135 | 138 | 142 | 146 | 150 |

| 41 | 133 | 136 | 139 | 143 | 147 | 151 |

| 42 | 133 | 136 | 139 | 143 | 147 | 151 |

| 43 | 134 | 137 | 140 | 144 | 148 | 152 |

| 44 | 133 | 138 | 141 | 145 | 149 | 153 |

| | | | | | | |

| 45 | 135 | 138 | 141 | 145 | 149 | 153 |

| 46 | 136 | 139 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 154 |

| 47 | 136 | 139 | 142 | 146 | 151 | 155 |

| 48 | 137 | 140 | 143 | 147 | 152 | 156 |

| 49 | 137 | 140 | 143 | 147 | 152 | 156 |

| | | | | | | |

| 50 | 138 | 141 | 149 | 148 | 152 | 156 |

| 51 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 157 |

| 52 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 157 |

| 53 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 157 |

| 54 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 153 | 158 |

| 55 | 138 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 153 | 158 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 |

|years.| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

| 15 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 147 | 152 |

| 16 | 154 | 159 | 164 | 174 | 179 |

| 17 | 137 | 140 | 144 | 149 | 154 |

| 18 | 138 | 142 | 145 | 150 | 155 |

| 19 | 139 | 142 | 146 | 151 | 155 |

| | | | | | |

| 20 | 140 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 156 |

| 21 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 156 |

| 22 | 141 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 157 |

| 23 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 153 | 157 |

| 24 | 142 | 146 | 150 | 154 | 158 |

| | | | | | |

| 25 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 154 | 158 |

| 26 | 143 | 147 | 151 | 155 | 159 |

| 27 | 144 | 148 | 152 | 155 | 159 |

| 28 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 156 | 160 |

| 29 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 156 | 160 |

| | | | | | |

| 30 | 146 | 150 | 154 | 157 | 161 |

| 31 | 147 | 151 | 154 | 157 | 161 |

| 32 | 148 | 152 | 155 | 158 | 162 |

| 33 | 149 | 153 | 156 | 159 | 162 |

| 34 | 150 | 154 | 157 | 160 | 163 |

| | | | | | |

| 35 | 150 | 154 | 157 | 160 | 163 |

| 36 | 151 | 155 | 158 | 161 | 164 |

| 37 | 152 | 156 | 159 | 162 | 165 |

| 38 | 153 | 157 | 160 | 163 | 166 |

| 39 | 154 | 158 | 161 | 164 | 167 |

| | | | | | |

| 40 | 154 | 158 | 161 | 164 | 167 |

| 41 | 155 | 159 | 162 | 165 | 168 |

| 42 | 155 | 159 | 162 | 166 | 169 |

| 43 | 156 | 160 | 163 | 167 | 170 |

| 44 | 157 | 161 | 164 | 168 | 171 |

| | | | | | |

| 45 | 157 | 161 | 164 | 168 | 171 |

| 46 | 158 | 162 | 165 | 169 | 172 |

| 47 | 159 | 163 | 166 | 170 | 173 |

| 48 | 160 | 164 | 187 | 171 | 174 |

| 49 | 161 | 165 | 168 | 172 | 175 |

| | | | | | |

| 50 | 161 | 165 | 169 | 173 | 176 |

| 51 | 162 | 166 | 170 | 174 | 177 |

| 52 | 162 | 166 | 170 | 174 | 177 |

| 53 | 162 | 166 | 170 | 174 | 177 |

| 54 | 163 | 167 | 171 | 174 | 177 |

| 55 | 163 | 167 | 171 | 174 | 177 |

+------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

RELATION OF JUVENILE TO ADULT BUILD.

This adjustment was not always necessary, first, because in not a

few cases the children were of an adult age and the data for the

build of the parents, now dead, were given for the same age; second,

examination of such developmental curves as are shown in figure 6

strongly indicates that when the parents are of slender build, and the

children are of slender build at the age of 25 years younger than the

parents, the increase in weight of the children will not usually follow

the actuarial tables. The actuarial tables, indeed, represent only the

average increase, and this average is made of a population that does not

increase its weight at all when it grows older (fig. 6) and a population

that increases its weight at a much faster rate than indicated in the

actuarial tables (fig. 3). Consequently, no adjustment is made to the

given weights of the children whose parents are slender. In the case

where one parent was slender and one fat, the adjustment is still made in

the build of all the children. This procedure, undoubtedly, introduces

an error which, so far as I see, can not be avoided. Baldwin (1921, p.

74) states that “as a general rule heavy children remain relatively heavy

during the period studied”; and his developmental curves of individual

children show that the same persistence of the juvenile build is commonly

true for children of slight weight. It is striking how often the children

of heavy parents will be heavy even in youth, and conversely, children of

exceptionally great weight are apt to retain, and add to, their build.

Chambers (1850, pp. 139-143) cites the following cases of early familial

obesity: A boy of 3 years weighs 39.5 kg. (87 pounds); his 6 sisters

and brothers are obese. A girl of 5 years 5 months weighs 89 kg. (196

pounds); obesity on both sides of the house. A boy of 16 weighs 114 kg.

(252 pounds); there is collateral heredity.

A striking case of early obesity persisting to maturity is that of Miss

Allen (plate 8).

On the other hand, it is often strikingly true that in families with a

tendency to fleshy build some of the children will remain slender until

20 or 25 years and then begin to grow fat. The metabolic changes that

induce fatness first appear in later life.