On anthropological colour phenomena in Belgium and elsewhere / by John Beddoe.

  • Beddoe, John, 1826-1911.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On anthropological colour phenomena in Belgium and elsewhere / by John Beddoe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    On Anthropological Colour Phenomena in Belgium and Elsewhere,, By Dr. John Beddoe, F.R.S. Within the last few years the numerical method has been applied pretty extensively to the determination of ethnolo¬ gical colour types in several countries of Western Europe. In Britain the Anthropometric Committee is continuing its labours, and has already acquired a considerable mass of facts respecting colours, from a number of private and some official observers. But in this special department continental Anthro¬ pologists, though they started behind us, have been enabled by their school organisations to outstrip us completely. In Ger¬ many, Virchow has been able to get counted and tabulated, quoad their hair and eyes, the whole school population of suitable age. The only local exception is the city of Hamburgh, which has 'always borne a Philistine reputation as regards matters of science. In Switzerland, Dr. Guillaume, of Eeu- chatel, and others, have successfully stirred up the cantonal authorities and schoolmasters; and I believe the entire school population has been reported on except in Geneva and Tessin, whence returns have not come in. In Belgium, Professor Vanderkindere moved the Geographical Society, at whose instigation the Minister of the Interior enabled him to obtain from the schoolmasters of the whole country the particulars required. And I believe that a similar enquiry has been pro¬ jected, or actually undertaken, in Holland and in Bohemia. The drawbacks for the value of information thus obtained are, of course, numerous. They are due partly to faults in the method and the observers, partly to the nature of the material. The classification of the colours is very difficult. Broca’s plan is the best, but is too complicated for large numbers and un¬ scientific observers. Moreover, it does not strictly apply to the mixed varieties of eye-colour, which are pretty frequent. Still, this is a small defect, and the illustrious author of the arrangement had foreseen it, and in some degree provided for it. The deter¬ mination of colour of hair is more difficult. They run into each othre by infinite gradation, they vary with the changes of illumination, and finally they are not fiat tints, and the colour- standards of Broca and General Pitt-Bivers, excellent for the skin, are by their flatness incapable of being identified with the hues