§ 4: On the Effect of Climate and Civilization on the Human Body

Concerning the effect of climate on skin color, Heber writes as follows: “It is noteworthy in these matters that, without exception, all these human races (Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Tartars) acquire, after a small number of generations and without any initial racial intermarriage with the Indians, a deep olive-colored skin approximating closely to that of the Ethiopians, which appears to be natural to the climate.” The Portuguese born in that place do not marry among themselves nor, if they can, with Europeans. Yet these same Portuguese over a period of three hundred years in India became as dark as the Kaffirs.

Abundant examples present striking phenomena due to the effect of climate, civilization, diet, occupation, and way of life in general; Long in his Histoire de la Jamaïque and Bauvart in his Histoire des Antilles both noted that the skulls of European colonists settled on these islands differ noticeably in shape from those in Europe and approach those of the indigenous Americans. Doctor Prichard confirms with great authority that after the third generation, captives in the United States employed in domestic service have a less prominent nose, and mouth and lips less protruding; and at the same time the hair becomes longer in each successive generation. Captives, on the other hand, employed in the field labor, maintain their original appearance over many years. Caldani presented as an example the skeleton of an Ethiopian, who, when a youth trained in Athens, underwent such an alteration in complexion that he was no longer darker than a European of that type; he speaks from his own observation. Rölfius brought an Ethiopian child to Germany, who after two years of residence in Germany changed his complexion, becoming brown-haired from black; similar examples are found in N. Waltz’s Anthropologie. A certain English nobleman, Macnaughten, living in southern India, in Segelande, acquired a dark complexion while living as an indigenous person. Doctor Prichard, through careful investigations, observed that diet and civilization contribute greatly to the alteration of characteristics; this is also acknowledged by Savion, who observed the effects of slavery; he says that “slavery and servile conditions are the most potent causes discovered to date for producing variations among living creatures; and indeed the greatest varieties obtained so far have come about in this way.” Civilization is the medium acting most powerfully among these means on humans, and by its moral effect it can be stronger. It is beyond all doubt that manner of life, food, comfort, prosperity, and the degree of spiritual development and upbringing that some acquire produce powerful and lasting effects on the peoples from the same origin and source.

A young traveler observed in Syria the existing differences between the Bedouins and the Fellaheen of the Houran. The former, the nomadic Arabs, exposed daily to the vicissitudes and toils of a wandering and difficult life, have an upright posture and a well-formed body, a small face and thin beard. The latter, the settled Arabs, are stout and robust; they have a thick beard, but they lack the keen-sightedness in their gaze characteristic of their brothers of the desert. Yet it is certain that these two races descend from one nation alone, speaking the same language and inhabiting the same climate. What then is the cause of the distinction? Undoubtedly, the manner of diet of each; for this careful observer adds that in childhood they distinguish themselves not at all.

Something similar was also observed by Gel among the Bedouins, in whom the Sheikhs, the leaders of the people, were distinguished. The same was observed by Toubias in Uganda, where the workers were darker, their hair more woolly and curly, and their bodies of small stature; whereas quite the opposite occurred among those living in ease.

Very many examples cited by serious writers demonstrate the power of civilization, diet, etc., in producing variations; and in character and in color, the effect on complexions will be demonstrated in the next paragraph, where we develop the question of the different coloration of humans.