DOI article:
Derry, Douglas Erith: Field notes
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18104#0030
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though the destruction of the face rendered the remainder impossible.
Though so few, the results obtained agree very closely with those from
the much larger series which were submitted to the mathematicians,
showing that these people were of a singularly uniform type, as indeed
was surmised from head form and characters, which are repeated with
extraordinary regularity. Definite negroid features are visible in the
majority, though others are more straight-faced with narrower noses.
Various intermediate forms are, however, common, so that they cannot
be separated by a hard and fast line into two groups.
Disease of any sort is rare in this period. Only one case of
rheumatoid arthritis was recorded, the left knee joint and right
shoulder joint being affected. Spondylitis of the lumbar vertebrae
was recorded once.
As regards injuries to bones, one man had a transverse fracture
through both bones of the left forearm at the junction of the lower
and middle thirds, and also a double fracture of the right femur,
the upper of the breaks being in the middle of the shaft, the other
at the junction of the middle and lower thirds. In both cases the
lower fragment has been drawn up behind the upper and united in
that position with much shortening.
Only one other case of fracture was obtained—a left tibia which
had been broken across the middle of the shaft. Here again the lower
fragment had been pulled up behind the upper and firmly united.
As is customary at this early date, the teeth are almost invariably
healthy. No case of primary caries was found, but there were two
examples of abscesses starting from infection of pulp-cavities opened
by the wearing-down of the teeth.
Nineteen female skulls were obtained and fully measured. What
has been said for the men is found to be true for the women, except, as
remarked before, that the negroid element is more pronounced in the
latter sex.
Only one body was found to exhibit any sign of disease—arthritis
of the temporo-mandibular articulation on both sides. In the same
skeleton there was a Colles' fracture of the right radius, while the left
radius and ulna had both been fractured at their lower extremities.
The broken end of the ulna was pushed outwards, and had united in
an angular position, such that it lay behind the lower end of the
radius, which thus articulated with it by a false joint.
though the destruction of the face rendered the remainder impossible.
Though so few, the results obtained agree very closely with those from
the much larger series which were submitted to the mathematicians,
showing that these people were of a singularly uniform type, as indeed
was surmised from head form and characters, which are repeated with
extraordinary regularity. Definite negroid features are visible in the
majority, though others are more straight-faced with narrower noses.
Various intermediate forms are, however, common, so that they cannot
be separated by a hard and fast line into two groups.
Disease of any sort is rare in this period. Only one case of
rheumatoid arthritis was recorded, the left knee joint and right
shoulder joint being affected. Spondylitis of the lumbar vertebrae
was recorded once.
As regards injuries to bones, one man had a transverse fracture
through both bones of the left forearm at the junction of the lower
and middle thirds, and also a double fracture of the right femur,
the upper of the breaks being in the middle of the shaft, the other
at the junction of the middle and lower thirds. In both cases the
lower fragment has been drawn up behind the upper and united in
that position with much shortening.
Only one other case of fracture was obtained—a left tibia which
had been broken across the middle of the shaft. Here again the lower
fragment had been pulled up behind the upper and firmly united.
As is customary at this early date, the teeth are almost invariably
healthy. No case of primary caries was found, but there were two
examples of abscesses starting from infection of pulp-cavities opened
by the wearing-down of the teeth.
Nineteen female skulls were obtained and fully measured. What
has been said for the men is found to be true for the women, except, as
remarked before, that the negroid element is more pronounced in the
latter sex.
Only one body was found to exhibit any sign of disease—arthritis
of the temporo-mandibular articulation on both sides. In the same
skeleton there was a Colles' fracture of the right radius, while the left
radius and ulna had both been fractured at their lower extremities.
The broken end of the ulna was pushed outwards, and had united in
an angular position, such that it lay behind the lower end of the
radius, which thus articulated with it by a false joint.