Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 63.djvu/405

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PALM AND SOLE IMPRESSIONS.
401

In these the third line of (c) is designated by 8, the number for its point of origin, since it exhibits a course not unusual for it, but never found in the other lines, that of running down into a loop and not emerging, so that it can not be said to have a point of termination. In order to obtain formula? enough to work with, we may add to the above that of the example (Figs. 1 and 2) 2.5.7.9; also those formulæ designating the four palms figured in Fig. 6 of the previous article, viz: (a) 5.5.5.7; (b) 3.5.6.8; (c)45.6.7.10; (d) 5.8.10.11.

Fig. 4. Tracings of Four Left Palms, showing various line formulæ. (a) 11.9. 7.5 [Collection No. 109]; (b) 9.9.5.5 [Collection No. 323]; (c) 11.8.7.2 [Collection No. 30]; (d) 10.9.6.43 [Collection No. 32]. In (a) there is a parting in place of the carpal trirtidius; in (b) there is a well-developed thenar pattern; in (c) line C is very short and runs into a loop where it ends abruptly; in (d) the third lower triradius is present, assisting in the formation of a pattern.


To arrange these or any number of formulæ in definite order it will be necessary only to make the first subdivision in accordance with the first designation (i. e., that of line A) and so on with each designation in succession, employing the usual numerical sequence. A fraction may be marked by its numerator alone, since the denominator is nothing more than an added specification or descriptive mark, and the sign L may take precedence of all, ranking before the figure 1. By this means the nine formulæ referred to above would be arranged as follows:

2.5.7.9. 45.6.7.10. 5.5.99.
2.7.8.9. 43.6.9.10. 5.7. 9.11.
3.5.6.8. 5.5.5.7. 5.8.10.11.