ID# 2175:
"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

at the late International Health Exhibition. 13 ing this manometer rarely exceeds 4 cubic inches, and may be disregarded. Swiftness of Blow. - A flat bar (Plate XIII, fig. 5) with a pad, P, at one end runs freely between guides. The blow is delivered with the fist straight at the rod, driving the rod nearly or quite home, or else the blow is converted into a pull by holding a stirrup attached to a string, and striking out into space. The stirrup is attached to a string or, better, to a piece of steel pianoforte wire which is looped around a catch that forms part of a little apparatus attached to the bar, and which is shown enlarged in fig. 5a. When the bar is in full motion the catch releases the string or wire, so that there is nothing to break. The swiftness of the motion of the bar is registered as follows: -- Across its path a bridge is fixed and a flat steel rod projects from the bridge, lying above the bar and parallel to it. Its free end points in the same direction as that towards which the bar is driven by the fist. When the bar is set back ready for use, an arm, A, turning round a pin fixed in the framework is set so as to push the spring forcibly to one side, but as soon as the bar begins to move, a stud that is fixed to the bar strikes the arm from before it, and so releases the spring, which thereupon vibrates transversely to the moving bar. A pencil is attached to the spring, and the upper face of the bar carries a strip of the prepared cardboard used for white flexible slates. The pencil leaves a sinuous trace on the strip as shown in the lower figure, and the points where the trace crosses its own median line can be measured with precision. The spring that is used makes twenty-five complete vibrations in a second. Hence, if the interval between any two alternate crossing-points is 0.48 inch in length, the bar is traveling 1 foot per second. A scale is constructed of which the unit is 0.48 of an inch, and the graduations upon it are in feet per second. By applying this scale to the curve, the swiftness of the corresponding blow is immediately read off. Strength ([italics]a[end italics]) [italics]of pull[end italics]. - The well-known instrument with a spring, dial, and pointer, made by Salter, is held as an archer holds his bow when in the act of drawing it, and the strength of the pull is given by the index. ([italics]b[end italics]) [italics]Of squeeze.[end italics] - The instrument, also made by Salter, is tried first in the right hand, secondly, in the left hand. Span of Arms. - A pair of rods, sliding over each other and with projections at either end, is held so that the tips of the fingers press against those projections; then the arms are extended to their full stretch. The graduations show the span. Height ([italics]a[end italics]) [italics]above seat of chair[end italics]. - A quickly acting measuring rod is fastened upright to the back of a solid and narrow chair. ([italics]b[end italics]) [italics]Standing in shoes.[end italics] - This is taken by a measuring-rod fixed against the wall. ([italics]c[end italics]) The thickness of the heel of the shoe is measured. ([italics]d[end italics]) The height without the shoes. Weight. - A simple commercial balance is used, as cheaper, more [end]

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