Chapter XLIV: Munsee: Femora

LEGEND:
A = Number of bones
B = Length bicondylar
C = Length maximum
D = Number of cases
E = Humero-Femoral Index (H × 100)/F
F = Number of cases
G = Diameter antero-posterior at middle[52] (a)
H = Diameter lateral at middle[53] (b)
I = Index of shaft (b × 100)/a
J = Number of cases
K = Maximum (c)
L = Minimum (d)
M = Platymeric index (d × 100)/c

MALES
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| Right
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| | | | | | | | | | | N |
| | | | | | | | | | +----+----+
| A| B | C | D| E | F| G | H | I | J| K | L | M
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
Average: | | cm. | cm.| | | | cm.| cm.| | | cm.| cm.|
Paired |12|45.2 |45.8| 8|71.8|16|2.92|2.55| 87.1|15|3.23|2.37|73.3
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present|14|45.26|45.8|11|72.1|17|2.91|2.53| 87.1|17|3.22|2.35|73.1
Minimum |14|43.4 |43.8|11|69.6|17|2.5 |2.2 | 73.5|17|2.9 |2 |64.6
Maximum |14|48.1 |48.7|11|76.3|17|3.3 |2.95|100 |17|3.75|2.7 |90
+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| Left
+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
Average: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paired |12|45.4 |45.9| 8|71.7|16|2.9 |2.61| 89.9|15|3.33|2.38|71.6
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present|15|45.82|46.3| 9|71.3| —| — | — | — | —| — | — | —
Minimum |15|43.7 |44 | 9|67.7|16|2.5 |2.25| 75 |15|2.9 |2.1 |59.5
Maximum |15|49.2 |50 | 9|75.7|16|3.3 |2.9 |107.7|15|3.7 |2.7 |93.7
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----

[52] Linea aspera midway between the two branches of the compass.

[53] Maximum.

FUSION OF HUMERUS AND ULNA; MALE MUNSEE SKELETON, NO. 285,303, U.S.N.M.]

LEGEND:
A = Number of bones
B = Length bicondylar
C = Length maximum
D = Number of cases
E = Humero-Femoral Index (H × 100)/F
F = Number of cases
G = Diameter antero-posterior at middle[54] (a)
H = Diameter lateral at middle[55] (b)
I = Index of shaft (b × 100)/a
J = Number of cases
K = Maximum (c)
L = Minimum (d)
M = Platymeric index (d × 100)/c

FEMALES
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| Right
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| | | | | | | | | | | N |
| | | | | | | | | | +----+----+
| A| B | C | D| E | F| G | H | I | J| K | L | M
---------+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
Average: | | cm. | cm.| | | | cm.| cm.| | | cm.| cm.|
Paired |13|42.1|42.65|10|72.6|13|2.58|2.35| 91.2|12|2.88|2.17|75.5
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present|14| — | — |12|72.7|14|2.56|2.37| 91.6|14|2.89|2.14|74
Minimum |14|39.4 |40 |12|70.6|14| 2.3| 2 | 82.1|14| 2.5|1.85|56.9
Maximum |14|44.7 |45.1|12|74.4|14|2.95|2.6 |106.2|14|3.25|2.45|84.5
+--+-----+----+--+----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
| Left
+--+-----+----+--+-----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----
Average: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Paired |13|41.9 |42.6|10|71.65|13|2.48|2.38|93.1|12|3.03|2.17|71.7
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
present| —| — | — | —| — | —| — | — | — | —| — | — | —
Minimum |13|39.6 |40 |10|69.4 |13|2.25| 2 | 83.3|12|2.6 |1.8 |56.1
Maximum |13|44.5 |45.4|10|73.2 |13| 3 |2.65|113 |12|3.35|2.45|87.7
---------+--+-----+----+--+-----+--+----+----+-----+--+----+----+----

[54] Linea aspera midway between the two branches of the compass.

[55] Maximum

The two lengths of the femur, the bicondylar and the maximum, differ somewhat as a rule in favor of the latter. The difference is due and proportional to the inclination of the axis of the shaft and the development of the internal condyle, and ranges in different individuals from 0.5 mm. to 15 mm. In whites in all the groups studied it is moderate, not reaching 4 mm. in the average. In the American negro (who often has some white blood), the disproportion between the two lengths is slightly higher than in the whites, but additional observations are needed. Among Indians, however, the difference is perceptibly higher than among the whites, and is especially pronounced among the Munsee, where it reaches the average of nearly 5 mm. in the males (taking the mean of the two sides) and 6 mm. in the females. As the Munsee bones are perfectly normal, the explanation of this peculiarity must be sought either in an unusual breadth of the pelvis or in a somewhat greater length of the neck of the femur, and may be connected with some functional characteristic of these people, such as possibly a more than usual prevalence of the habit of squatting.