OCR Rendition - approximate

Tan. 17, 1884 NA T URE 267 The only evidence I know that could thro.v much light upon it is summarised in a Parliamentary paper on prison discipline,' whence it appears (p. 54) that a certain amount of irregularity is normal among prisoners, that they are heavier in summer than in winter, and that the changes are abrupt ; also, that fluctuations in weight, bearing no sort of proportion to previous changes of diet, are of constant occurrence. I calculated a rough numerical measure of the irregularity of each trace for the purpose of classifying them. I did so on the same principle that one might adopt to measure the discursiveness of a rambling path, in comparison with that of a straight turnpike road between the same points, namely, by finding the proportion that the length of the one bore to the other. I measured the trace and also the general sweep of the trace with a mapmaker's "perambulator," divided one by the other, and corrected each result on the principle that a fluctuation of 12 lbs. in a man of 16 stone should not count more than one of 9 lbs. in a man of 12 stone. I also exercised some judgment in my measurements, to avoid the error of dealing with ups and downs in the trace that were apparently due to the fragmentary character of the observations (sometimes only one record in a year, and sometimes two), as if they were real fluctuations. Each available trace was marked on this principle, and the traces were classified according to their marks. Figs. i and 2 are thr,„`quartiles " of this class. AGE 30 40 Fig. t, one quarter are less irregular than Fig. 2, and the remaining two quarters lie between them. The "median" trace occupies the half-way position ; it is unnecessary to reproduce it here, as an imaginary interpolation between Figs. i and 2 will suffice. Ie t did e traces nto ree ons a d d A B much as Elaine did on the dints in the shield of Launcelot, and on looking at some huge notch in the trace, may hazard the guess, "Ah, what a stroke of gout was there l " The age at whichthe weight reaches its maximum is earlier in the earlier generations. I attempted eye estimates, and found it comparatively easy to form them in respect to the traces of the earlier period, where the culmination was usually distinct, and found that it frequently occurred at an early age ; the number of tines in which it took place in the successive decades of life in those days being as follows : under the age of 29, 2 cases ; 30-9, 5 cases; 40-9, 6 ; 50-9, 7 ; 60-9, 12 ; 7o and upwards, 2. In the latter generations the culminating point was frequently too indistinct to be localised, so that I am unable to offer a corresponding statement for comparison that would be trustworthy. In short, the development of the latter generations was more regular. The clearest evidence of the different age-weights in the three generations, A, B, and C, is obtained by comparing their Means. The following is a brief numerical abstract of them to which the number of cases upon which each mean is based is added in a different type below it. The figures in parentheses are doubly meaned results, those to the left being derived from observations made at the ages of 26 and 28, and those to the right from observations at 68 and 72. For purposes of comparison I subjoin the weights of the professional classes, extracted by interpolation from the table, published by the Anthropometric Committee of the British Association in their Report, 1883, p. 40. The number of observations on which these are based, are given in a form that does not admit of strict comparison with those of my series. They are 24, for observations at the ages 30-35 ; 24, for 35-40 ; 44, for 40-50; 13, for 50-6o; 5, for 60-70. llyeau 1Vee hts at Various A(es 11--iz; ,, Ace CLA es a7 30 40 50 60 70 (166) 176 18-1 181 181 (180) 03) 18 ,8 ('a) B 1 168) 17i 172 184 178 178) (a4) -.> '4 a6 z6 (15) C 1 1165) 165 ~ 36 ) 44 Profe;- 151 167 1 sional I 50 60 70 x IF FIG. 3.-Mean Age-Weight of British NoLlemen in three successive generations One quarter of all the traces are more irregular than ,,, C, according to the dates of birth of the persons they re erred to. It happened that each division dovered a These figures are rendered much more expressive by period of thirty years, so A, B, and C may be taken translating them into smoothed curves ; those from which to represent three successive generations, born respect- A was drawn are shown by crosses ; those from which C ively between 174o and 1769, 1770 and 1799, 18oo and was drawn are shown by small circles ; but those from 1829. The numbers of traces available for the present which B was drawn are omitted for clearness' sake. purpose were 21, 22, and 26 respectively. It appeared Whatever may be the exact significance of these mean that the most irregular trace in Group C would rank only values, which is by no means so clear as may at first as the seventh in Group B, and as the fifth in Group A, I sight be imagined, and whatever may be their absolute and y C t contains the greatest number of cases . There can be no doubt that the dissolute life led by the upper classes about the beginning of this century, which is so graphically described by Mr. Trevelyan in his "Life of Fox," has left its mark on their age-weight traces. It would be most interesting to collate these violent fluctua tions with events in their medical life-histories; but, failing such information, we can only speculate on them, worth, which I do not rate very highly, there can be no doubt as to their differential importance. They show with great distinctness that the noblemen of the generation which flourished about the beginning of this. century attained their meridian and declined much earlier than those of the generation 6o years their juniors. They were nearly a stone heavier at the age of 40. The weights of these two generations were identical at mittee, &c. Ordered to be printed Mai ao, 1864. I generation was declining in weight with almost the exact ' Copies of correspondence between the Secretary of State for the Home the age of 62 or 6 but at that period of life the earlier ' Department and the 11, 'P-tor of prisons, Sic., and the Report of a Con- ~ CIibPDF - www.fastio.com