Note 170 — VIII RELATIVE RACIAL BRAIN-WEIGHT AND SIZE

The use of different standards of weights and measures, and of diverse materials for determining the capacity of the skull in different countries, greatly complicates the researches of the craniologist. Some pains have been taken here to bring the various weights and measurements to a common standard. In attempting to do so in reference to the weight of brain of Italy’s great poet, the following process was adopted: It was ascertained by experiment that 912.5 grms. of rice, well shaken down, occupied the space of 1000 grms. of water. Hence 3.1321 lbs. rice = 3.4324 water. Multiplying this by 1.04, the s.g. of brain, the result is the capacity of the skull, viz. 3.5697 lbs., or 57 oz., as given above. In this and other investigations embodied in the present paper, I was indebted to the valuable co-operation of my late friend and colleague, Professor H. H. Croft.