ENGLISH TYPE ALTERING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19876, 18 February 1920, Page 6

ENGLISH TYPE ALTERING.

♦ - RECENT INVESTIGATIONS. ‘•'Tho English aro slowly undergoing a change in type,” said Professor Parsons, ope ailing recently, in his capacity of pro lessor of Anatomy for St Thomas s Hospital. Tho same professor, whoso investigations include measurements both of, German and English faces, discovered that the difference oefcween the facial measurements among troops of tho two races amounted to 15 per cent. ■He claimed (savs the London "Daily Chronicle”) that this distinction went far to prove that no ancestral close relationship exists bcthe English and German peoples. A house surgeon of a London hospital, speaking with experience of R.A.M.C. work with the forces, ex pressed himself on the subject as follows;—“ There is no doubt about the truth of tho theory set forward by Professor Parsons, though definite in stances that prove definite change cannot lie substantiated except by anthropologists. Definite facto that mark real changes affect, so I have found, the colonial settlers chiefly. In throe generations tho Americans grow extremely like the Red Indians in appearance; they develop the sleek hair, tho striking nose, the high cheek-bones so characteristic of that race. No mingling of race need occur to account for this fact; simply environment produces these changes. “ Again, decided change in English character, in addition to facial changes, I have remarked in Australians whose forebears were natives of this country. Speaking as on Australian, I note the Australian characteristics particularly. Out in France, I compared the Australian troops with tho London regiments. I remarked that the settlers in Australia showed keener brain power and higher nervous sensibilities. The passing of time has brought about changes physically in the colonial type: it has grown a bigger type, with a bigger stature than we find among the English in this country to-day. “ Anyone studying, old armour at the Tower realises, however, that the English racq over here has expanded its proportions vastly within recent generations. Modern knights never could get into old armour. Neither has increased development stopped with the male sex; modern women top their grandparents by several inches. All those changes occur chiefly through changed environment and 'manner of living. Among colonials tho finer physiques as compared with English to-day results from the fact that only the sturdiest left this country to rough it abroad. Such changes as influence our people at homo come through tho altered manner of living; our women pass a higjier percentage of time out of doors cultivating a taste for health} - sports.”