Chapter XLVI: Humero-Femoral Index in the Munsee and in Other Racial Groups

---------------------+-------------------+--------------------
| Male | Female
+--------+-----+----+--------+-----+-----
|Subjects|Right|Left|Subjects|Right|Left
---------------------+--------+-----+----+--------+-----+-----
Munsee | 8 | 71.8|71.7| 10 | 72.6|71.7
Other Indians | 100 | 72.3|71.6| 61 | 72.7|71.8
United States whites | 200 | 72.2|71.7| 63 | 71.8|70.9
Irish | 22 | 72.6|71.9| 35 | 71.7|70.6
Germans | 86 | 72.8|72 | 21 | 72.4|71.3
Italians | 39 | 72.5|72.3| 11 | 72.6|72
Other whites | 53 | 73.9|73 | 15 | 72.9|71.3
United States negroes| 25 | 71.7|71.5| 13 | 70.3|70.2
---------------------+--------+-----+----+--------+-----+-----

THE SHAFT

The measurements taken at the middle of the shaft in the Munsee femora indicate generally a moderate development. The mean diameter is smaller in both sexes than it is in ordinary American whites and negroes[56] of the same stature. The same condition, though in a somewhat lesser degree, was observable in the Arkansas and Louisiana Indian femora, and there are reasons to believe that it is common to other Indian tribes, if not general in the race. The whites and negroes used here for comparison are of course those of the working classes, or such as find their way into dissecting rooms.

[56] Males: Munsee, 2.74; United States whites, 2.9; United States negroes, 2.91 cm. Females: Munsee, 2.54; United States whites, 2.69; United States negroes, 2.6 cm.

As to the strength of the femur on the two sides of the body, the difference in the Munsee, as well as in other Indians and racial groups, is very small. However, in the males a slightly higher average mean diameter is seen in the left femur, while in the females the condition is reversed. Curiously the same slight excess in strength of the left femur in the male and of the right in the female is exhibited also by the United States whites, while in the United States negroes, in both sexes, the bones of the two sides are exactly equal, as is shown in the following table: