The human foot and the human handHumphry, George Murray, Sir
Science
The human foot and the human hand
Humphry, George Murray, Sir
Foot; Hand
In this instance, the loss of strength, which is thus incurred for
the purpose of acquiring celerity in movement, is usually compensated
for by the greater development of the calf-muscle. Hence the high heel
and the well-developed calf go together; and, like most of the other
features of good bodily formation, they are, on the whole, best marked
in the nations which are endued with the highest intelligence, and
which are, in this way, physically, as well as mentally, qualified
to occupy the foremost places in the human family. Thus, we may mark
a relation between the heel and the brain; and, as the comparative
anatomist is able by the inspection of a bone to trace out the skeleton
to which it belonged, so might it be possible for the human anatomist,
by observing minutely the peculiarities of the heel and the other
features of the foot in any particular race of men, to form some
estimate of the capacity and conformation of the skull, and thereby, of
the amount of intelligence.
Contrast the foot and leg of the EUROPEAN (fig. 16), as
represented in the drawing reduced from the Farnese Hercules, with
those of the NEGRO (fig. 17), the drawing of which was taken from
a native of Sierra Leone. In the former the leg is plump and the calf
well developed; the foot is compact and well arched; the heel descends
nearly vertically; and the inner ankle stands clearly out and is raised
high above the ground. In the Negro the leg is thinner and the calf is
not so well defined; the foot is long, flat, and sprawling; the heel is
more horizontal; and the inner ankle does not show clearly, and almost
touches the ground.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.]
[Illustration: Fig. 17.]
[Illustration: Fig. 18. European.]
[Illustration: Fig. 19. Negro.]
Contrast also the outline (fig. 19) of the foot of the same
Negro with that (fig. 18) of an Englishman. Both were traced upon
the ground, and reduced upon the same scale. The Negro was 5 ft.
2 in. in height; the Englishman was 6 ft.; both were of the
same age: yet the Negro’s foot was considerably the larger. It was 11
inches long, 3-1/2 inches across the middle of the instep, and 10-1/2
inches round the balls of the toes. Whereas the Englishman’s foot
was less than 10-1/2 inches long, was 2-1/2 inches across the middle
of the instep, and 9-1/2 inches round the balls of the toes. Even in
this simple outline how much less shapely is the African’s foot. Some
allowance must be made for the fact that the Negro was more accustomed
to go barefooted than the Englishman; and the pressure of the boot or
shoe has, in some degree, the effect of giving compactness to the foot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account