第 3 节
作者:痛罚      更新:2021-04-30 16:09      字数:9322
  writers; and which were encountered as autochthones by the German
  immigrants。  And 3rdly。  That it was beyond doubt that these human
  relics were traceable to a period at which the latest animals of the
  diluvium still existed; but that no proof of this assumption; nor
  consequently of their so…termed 'fossil' condition; was afforded by the
  circumstances under which the bones were discovered。
  FIG。 23。The Engis skull viewed from above (A) and in front (B)。
  〃As Dr。 Fuhlrott has not yet published his description of these
  circumstances; I borrow the following account of them from one of his
  letters。  'A small cave or grotto; high enough to admit a man; and
  about 15 feet deep from the entrance; which is 7 or 8 feet wide; exists
  in the southern wall of the gorge of the Neanderthal; as it is termed;
  at a distance of about 100 feet from the Dussel; and about 60 feet
  above the bottom of the valley。  In its earlier and uninjured
  condition; this cavern opened upon a narrow plateau lying in front of
  it; and from which the rocky wall descended almost perpendicularly into
  the river。  It could be reached; though with difficulty; from above。
  The uneven floor was covered to a thickness of 4 or 5 feet with a
  deposit of mud; sparingly intermixed with rounded fragments of chert。
  In the removing of this deposit; the bones were discovered。  The skull
  was first noticed; placed nearest to the entrance of the cavern; and
  further in; the other bones; lying in the same horizontal plane。  Of
  this I was assured; in the most positive terms; by two labourers who
  were employed to clear out the grotto; and who were questioned by me on
  the spot。  At first no idea was entertained of the bones being human;
  and it was not till several weeks after their discovery that they were
  recognised as such by me; and placed in security。  But; as the
  importance of the discovery was not at the time perceived; the
  labourers were very careless in the collecting; and secured chiefly
  only the larger bones; and to this circumstance it may be attributed
  that fragments merely of the probably perfect skeleton came into my
  possession'
  〃My anatomical examination of these bones afforded the following
  results:
  〃The cranium is of unusual size; and of a long elliptical form。  A most
  remarkable peculiarity is at once obvious in the extraordinary
  development of the frontal sinuses; owing to which the superciliary
  ridges; which coalesce completely in the middle; are rendered so
  prominent; that the frontal bone exhibits a considerable hollow or
  depression above; or rather behind them; whilst a deep depression is
  also formed in the situation of the root of the nose。  The forehead is
  narrow and low; though the middle and hinder portions of the cranial
  arch are well developed。  Unfortunately; the fragment of the skull that
  has been preserved consists only of the portion situated above the roof
  of the orbits and the superior occipital ridges; which are greatly
  developed; and almost conjoined so as to form a horizontal eminence。  It
  includes almost the whole of the frontal bone; both parietals; a small
  part of the squamous and the upper…third of the occipital。  The
  recently fractured surfaces show that the skull was broken at the time
  of its disinterment。  The cavity holds 16;876 grains of water; whence
  its cubical contents may be estimated at 57。64 inches; or 1033。24 cubic
  centimetres。  In making this estimation; the water is supposed to stand
  on a level with the orbital plate of the frontal; with the deepest
  notch in the squamous margin of the parietal; and with the superior
  semicircular ridges of the occipital。  Estimated in dried millet…seed;
  the contents equalled 31 ounces; Prussian Apothecaries' weight。  The
  semicircular line indicating the upper boundary of the attachment of
  the temporal muscle; though not very strongly marked; ascends
  nevertheless to more than half the height of the parietal bone。  On the
  right superciliary ridge is observable an oblique furrow or depression;
  indicative of an injury received during life。*
  'footnote' *This; Mr。  Busk has pointed out; is probably
  the notch for the frontal nerve。  The coronal and sagittal
  sutures are on the exterior nearly closed; and on the
  inside so completely ossified as to have left no traces
  whatever; whilst the lambdoidal remains quite open。  The
  depressions for the Pacchionian glands are deep and
  numerous; and there is an unusually deep vascular groove
  immediately behind the coronal suture; which; as it
  terminates in the foramen; no doubt transmitted a 'vena
  emissaria'。 The course of the frontal suture is indicated
  externally by a slight ridge; and where it joins the
  coronal; this ridge rises into a small protuberance。  The
  course of the sagittal suture is grooved; and above the
  angle of the occipital bone the parietals are depressed。
  mm。*
  'footnote' *The numbers in brackets are those which I should
  assign to the different measures; as taken from the plaster
  cast。G。 B。
  The length of the skull from the nasal
  process of the frontal over the vertex
  to the superior semicircular lines of the
  occipital measures。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。303 (300) = 12。0〃。
  Circumference over the orbital ridges and
  the superior semicircular lines of the
  occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。590 (590) = 23。37〃 or 23〃。
  Width of the frontal from the middle of
  the temporal line on one side to the
  same point on the opposite。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。104 (114) = 4。1〃4。5〃。
  Length of the frontal from the nasal。
  process to the coronal suture。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。133 (125) = 5。25〃5〃。
  Extreme width of the frontal sinuses。。。。。。。。。。。25 (23) = 1。0〃0。9〃。
  Vertical height above a line joining the
  deepest notches in the squamous border
  of the parietals。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。70        = 2。75〃。
  Width of hinder part of skull from one
  parietal protuberance to the other。。。。。。。。。。。。。138 (150) = 5。4〃5。9〃
  Distance from the upper angle of the
  occipital to the superior semicircular
  lines。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。51 (60) = 1。9〃2。4〃。
  Thickness of the bone at the parietal
  protuberance。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。8。
  at the angle of the occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。9。
  at the superior semicircular line of
  the occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。10          = 0。3〃
  〃Besides the cranium; the following bones have been secured:
  〃1。  Both thigh…bones; perfect。  These; like the skull; and all the
  other bones; are characterized by their unusual thickness; and the
  great development of all the elevations and depressions for the
  attachment of muscles。  In the Anatomical Museum at Bonn; under the
  designation of 'Giant's…bones;' are some recent thigh…bones; with which
  in thickness the foregoing pretty nearly correspond; although they are
  shorter。
  Giant's bones。    Fossil bones。
  mm。               mm。
  Length。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。542 = 21。4〃。。。。。。438 = 17。4〃
  Diameter of head of femur。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 54 =  2。14〃。。。。。 53 = 2。0〃
  〃    of lower articular end; from
  one condyle to the other。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 89 = 3。5〃。。。。。。。 87 = 3。4〃
  Diameter of femur in the middle。。。。。。。。。。。。 33 = 1。2〃。。。。。。。 30 = 1。1〃
  〃2。  A perfect right humerus; whose size shows that it belongs to the
  thigh…bones。
  mm。
  Length。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。312 = 12。3〃
  Thickness in the middle。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 26 = 1。0〃
  Diameter of head。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 49 = 1。9〃
  〃Also a perfect right radius of corresponding dimensions; and the
  upper…third of a right ulna corresponding to the humerus and radius。
  〃3。  A left humerus of which the upper…third is wanting; and which is so
  much slenderer than the right as apparently to belong to a distinct
  individual; a left 'ulna'; which; though complete; is pathologically
  deformed; the coronoid process being so much enlarged by bony growth;
  that flexure of the elbow beyond a right angle must have been
  impossible; the anterior fossa of the humerus for the reception of the
  coronoid process being also filled up with a similar bony growth。  At
  the same time; the olecranon is curved strongly downwards。  As the bone
  presents no sign of rachitic degeneration; it may be supposed that an
  injury sustained during life was the cause of the anchylosis。  When the
  left ulna is compared with the right radius; it might at first sight be
  concluded that the bones respectively belonged to different individuals;
  the ulna being more than half an inch too short for articulation with a
  corresponding radius。  But it is clear that this shortening; as well as
  the attenuation of the left humerus; are both consequent upon the
  pathological condition above described。
  〃4。  A left 'ilium'; almost perfect; and belonging to the femur: a
  fragment of the right 'scapula'; the anterior extremity of a rib of the
  right side; and the same part of a rib of the left side; the hinder
  part of a rib of the right side; and lastly; two hinder portion