A STUDY OF PELVIC TYPE: AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO BODY BUILD IN WHITE WOMEN

In the literature of both anthropology and obstetrics, the pelvis of the white woman is described as having an inlet the transverse diameter of which is considerably larger than the anteroposterior, or conjugate, diameter. The pelvic index, i. e. the ratio of the anteroposterior to the transverse diameter of the inlet × 100, is said to be less than 90 in white women, who are, accordingly, classed as platypellic. Pelves with a relatively larger anteroposterior diameter and with a pelvic index ranging from 90 to 94.9 are classed as the mesatipellic type. Those with an index of 95 or more, the dolichopellic type, are supposed to be characteristic of what are frequently referred to as the "more primitive" races. Thus, according to data compiled by Martin, 1 Negroes, Melanesians and Tasmanians are mesatipellic, while Bushwomen, Hottentots, Australians and Malays are dolichopellic. In a paper by Dr. Hans Scheyer 2 on