B. Asia.

In Palestine puberty most commonly occurs at the age of 13; in Turkey even as early as 10. Rouvier calculated the average of 742 cases observed in Syria to be the age of 12. As regards Persian women, the data vary between the age of 14 for the northern part of the country and the age of 9 or 10 for the southern. According to Joubert’s data in 46.4 per cent. of the indigens of India, menstruation begins at the age of 12 or 13. Similar figures are given for Ceylon and for Siam. In Japan menstruation most frequently begins at the age of 14, sometimes as early as 13; mothers of 15 are by no means rarities in this country, but for menstruation to begin before the age of 12 is considered a very exceptional occurrence. According to a table dealing with 584 women of Tokio menstruation began:

At the age of:
11 years in2 instances.
12 years in2 instances.
13 years in26 instances.
14 years in78 instances.
15 years in224 instances.
16 years in228 instances.
17 years in68 instances.
18 years in44 instances.
19 years in10 instances.
20 years in2 instances.

The data available regarding China are so exceedingly variable that little importance can be attached to them.