[129] See Old Americans; also the writer's The natives of Kharga Oasis, Egypt, Smiths. Misc. Coll., Washington, 1912; Anthropology of the Chippewa, Holmes Anniv. Vol., Washington, 1916; and Measurements of the Negro, Am. J. Phys. Anthrop., 1928, XII, No. 1.
[130] A word of slight caution is due here. In all these cases the proper way would be to compare the Eskimo with whites of same mean stature. But we have no such whites available. As it is the comparisons must be taken merely as approximations, but they are so close approximations that the substance of the conclusions is probably correct.
[131] The chest dimensions correlate with stature, respectively the trunk height, and the breadth correlates with the depth; but both are influenced by function.
Physiological Observations
Due to various difficulties which do not exist to that extent elsewhere, the physiological observations on the Eskimo are neither as numerous or extended as would be desirable; yet there are some data of value. They extend to the pulse, respiration, temperature, and dynamometric tests of hand pressure. They were made mainly on St. Lawrence and Nunivak Islands, by Moore, Collins, and Stewart. They quite agree, especially after elimination of some records that are clearly erroneous or abnormal. The tests should be extended with even more rigid precautions in future work among the Eskimo.
The results are given below. They were all made in the summer season and on healthy subjects, yet there were numerous indications of temporary disorders, pathological or functional. Even after a careful elimination of the obvious cases of such disorders not a few minor irregularities have doubtless remained, so that the data can not be taken for more than fairly close approximations to the normal.
The data show remarkably low pulse, respiration rate and temperature close to those of whites, with a submedium hand pressure. (For comparative data see "Old Americans.") The low pulse is also characteristic in the Indian, as I have repeatedly pointed out before (see especially my "Physiological and Medical Observations among the Indians," etc., Bull. 34, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1908).
The dynamometric tests agree also better with those on the Indians than with those on whites; they are valid only as to the hands, and they embody not only the strength of the muscles but also that of the conscious impulse behind them. The age factor, of importance, does not here enter materially into the case.
| Pulse[132] | Respiration[133] | Temperature[134] | Strength (Collins dynamometer) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure right hand | Pressure left hand | |||
| (63) | (54) | (61) | (60) | (60) |
| 62.1 | 20.1 | 98.64 | 34.36 | 28.75 |
| (40-78) | (15-25) | (97.6-99.4) | (19.5-45.5) | (19.5-44) |
| (47) | (47) | (47) | (57) | (57) |
| [135]61.3 | [135]20.4 | [135]98.84 | [135]34.34 | [135]29.78 |
| FEMALES—SUSPICIOUS CASES ELIMINATED | ||||
| (25) | (25) | (25) | (47) | (47) |
| 72.4 | 20 | 99.13 | 20.13 | 16.81 |
| (54-84) | (15-23) | (98.4-99.9) | (14.5-29) | (12-22.5) |