ID# 2172:
"On the Anthropometric Laboratory at the late International Health Exhibition," by Francis Galton
Date:
1885
Pages: (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30)
Source:
University College London, GP, 182

&quote;On the Anthropometric Laboratory at the late International Health Exhibition,&quote; by Francis Galton

10 Francis Galton. --- On the Anthropometric Laboratory Process gone through. 1. The Desk. - On payment of 3[italics]d[end italics]. at the door, the applicant is admitted to the desk, and given a frame which contains a card, over which thin transfer paper is stretched. Carbonised paper is placed between them. Thus a duplicate copy of the entries is obtained, to be kept for statistical purposes. The card with the entries upon it is given to the person measured. No names are asked for. The following plan is adopted to secure such data for the duplicate copy as are needful for its use as a statistical document, without annoying the applicant, who may be disinclined to parade his or her age, &c., on the card. The transfer paper is doubled over the back of the card, and no carbonized paper is put behind the flap; consequently what may be written upon it will not appear on the card. The particulars required on the flap are: Age last birthday; birthplace; state (married, unmarried, or widowed); residence, whether urban, suburban, or country; occupation. All this takes place at the first station, which is partially curtained for the sake of privacy. When these data have been written, the frame is turned over, and the other side is henceforth uppermost. On this the attendant marks the sex, and the applicant writes his initials or other distinguishing mark, to guard against any accidental interchange of the frames belonging to different persons who are simultaneously undergoing measurement. At this same station is suspended a card, with specimens of wool of various shades of green worked upon it. Attention is directed to these specimens, that the applicant may clearly understand what will be required of him a few stations on, when his colour-sense is tested by his being asked to pick out all the green shades from among many wools of different colour. It is important that he should appreciate the wide variety of shades that are used, otherwise he may fail in the test, owing to a misunderstanding of what he is wanted to do. 2. Colour of Eyes and Hair. - Artificial eyes of standard colours are exhibited, together with the following descriptive names - dark-blue, grey, dark-grey, brown-grey, (green, light hazel), brown, dark-brown, black. The attendant will note the colour of the eyes, but no entry will be made regarding the colour of the hair, for the reason that what with the darkening effects of pomades, and of dyes, and the misleading appearances of false hair, no useful results can be arrived at. However, for the convenience of the visitor samples of standard colour of hair are exhibited, and the names are attached by which the chief varieties of colour are usually described. They are flaxen, light-brown, brown, dark-brown, fair red (golden), red, dark red (chestnut auburn), black. 3. Sight. - (a) [italics]Keennessof Eye-Sight[end italics] is measured by the greatest distance at which the small print known as "diamond" type can be read. The eyes are tested separately, as it often occurs that they differ [end]

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