Las posibilidades de aplicación en la antropología física en México

Abstract

At present phvsical anthropology forms a part of two institutions
in México, the Natiónal Institute of Anthropology and History and the National University, where physical anthropologists are able to devote themselves to teaching and investigation in the rarious fields of their interest. Even though the majoritv of studies have been oriented towards clarification of theoretical problems, a more recent tendency has been to combine this aspect with obtaining data that can be used simultaneously in the solution of predominantly practical problems. As examples of this latter a brief information is given here concerning: one, the basis for selection of young men for the Military Academy; two, the longitudinal growth of normal children in Mexico City; and, finally, genetical and morphological chancteristics of athletes who competed in the Olympic Ganes in Mexico in l9ó8. In view of the necessity for opening new fields of work for physical anthropologists, the author discusses the possibility of
establishing new studies, directed towards resolving practical problems which arise in developing industries, and which due to the lack of adequate knowledge of the physical characteristics
of the consumer populations, signify loss of working hours which could be avoided.