Relations Between Surface Area, Weight and Length of the Human Body in Prenatal Life

Abstract

The growth in surface area of the body in prenatal life has received little study. Valentine, Ssytscheff, Lissauer, Kastner, and Pfaundler have included some determinations of the surface area of premature infants among their observations but most of these were of children who had lived several days or weeks after birth. Sandiford has estimated the surface in prenatal life by the application of the formulae of Lissauer, and of Du Bois to the data of Mall on the length and Jackson on the weight of the fetus at various ages. We have determined the surface area of the body in a series of 12 fetuses ranging from 2.68 to 31.98 cm. in crown rump length and from 1.26 to 2463.00 gm. in weight. All specimens but one (the largest) were preserved in formalin prior to measurement. The largest specimen was a fresh cadaver and the measurement of its surface was made from a plaster of Paris cast of the body. Our method was as follows: The specimen was first covered with 2 thin coats of lacquer by dipping it in a lacquer solution. When the second lacquer coat was almost dry the specimen was dipped in a hot mixture of water (15 parts by volume), gelatin (5 parts by weight), and glycerin (1 part by volume). This coat hardened into a pliant but non-elastic film which was removed and cut into small pieces. The outlines of these pieces were traced on celluloid and their areas determined from weight by the methods described by Boyd and Scammon, and Scammon and Scott. This method was used for all parts of the body except the fingers and toes.