A study of the finger and palm prints and of the chromosomal patterns of 122 Down's syndrome patients, among which 9 had a D/G or a G/G translocation and 4 a mosaic, could not detect significant differences between dermatoglyphics of regular trisomic mongoloids and of the translocated ones. Mosaic cases had few Down's syndrome dermatoglyphic peculiarities, in relation with the number of the trisomic cells in the chromosomal set.

Most of the cases of Amalric's pigmentary macular dystrophy associated with deafmutism seem to be due to a rubella or to another viral infection of the mother during pregnancy. This association can sometimes probably also be due to an infectious disease of the early childhood. Heredity seems to be a rather exceptional factor.

In order to contribute to the studies on the group substance properties of the Gm system, the Authors have carried out a research on 180 subjects living in Latium. The results [Gm(a) 48.8%; Gm(b) 95%; Gm(x) 9.4%], are very similar to those obtained for white subjects in other countries of Europe and North America.

The Authors underline the importance of this new system in the investigations for ascertaining the parental relationship.

Taste threshold for phenylthiocarbamide were studied among 242 Tibetans, 125 Spitians and 314 Lahaulis, the three Mongoloid populations of the Indo-Tibetan border. No statistically significant sex differences have been observed in the frequency of tasters and non-tasters in the present study. The frequency of non-tasters among Spitians (12.00%) and Lahaulis 12.73%) is strikingly similar and slightly higher than among Tibetans (10.74%). Statistically the difference in the three populations is non-significant (χ2 = 0.95, df = 2, p>0.05). In spite of the considerable Hindu admixture with a high frequency of non-taster gene, Spitians and Lahaulis have maintained a rather low frequency of non-tasters. This is true of populations all along the cis-Himalayan region, where similar Mongoloid and Hindu admixture has taken place. Besides the main Mongoloid element the proto-Australoid racial strain in the region may also be considered responsible for lowering the frequency of non-tasters.

The fingerprints of 15 MZ and 15 DZ female twin pairs have been studied for methodological purposes. Zygosity has been ascertained both on account of similarity criteria (polysymptomatic method, etc.) and of concordance ones (blood groups). The data have been analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The complexity of the qualitative analysis has required an apposite methodology and the use of a 1620 IBM computer.

Similarities — at the qualitative level — and concordances — at the quantitative one — appear to be significantly different respectively in MZ and DZ twin pairs.

No conclusions are drawn from the present results. The final work, based on 100 twin pairs (cf. Tab. 1.1) will possibly allow better understanding of some topics rapidly dealt with in this mainly methodological note.

A case of mongoloid MZ twins is described. The study is completed by chromosome analysis, showing the presence of trisomy 21.

Data on the middle-phalangeal hair among the different groups of Newars of Nepal Valley are presented.

Sexual differences for this trait are non-significant in Groups 1, 2 and 4.

The inter-group differences of Groups 1, 2 and 4 give non-significant results, suggesting a similarity for this trait among these groups in Newars.

The variability ranges between 22.1 to 100% in males, and 26.4 to 100% in females, in the frequencies of mid-phalangeal hair absence, among various populations.

The Mongoloid population is found to be in the range of 44.9 to 98.10%, with regard to the absence of this trait.

The Newars, as a total group, show frequencies of 75.43% in males, 76.63% in females and 76.04% in both sexes, combined, with respect to the absence of this trait.

The Newars fall nearer to the tribal groups of Assam (Khasi, Lushai and Mikir) and Japanese as far as this character is concerned.

The experimental cotwin control method by means of 34 MZ pairs, of which only one cotwin of each pair suffered from typhoid disease, offered excellent opportunities to study the after effects of typhoid incidence on the anthropometric, mental and physical traits of individuals. Comparison among 56 MZ pairs reveals that typhoid brings out certain significant changes in these traits.

Increase of intelligence has already been shown, due to increased quantity of RNA. Whether or not typhoid incidence after a period of approximately 7 months influences the rapid synthesis of RNA would be a good field of biochemical investigation of immunogenetical interest.

A study of 6375 births from the records of two hospitals of Delhi reveals that the incidence of oral clefts is more or less constant in both males and females. Evidence indicates that plural births are more associated with the harelip, cleft palate and cleft lip, than single births. In the same way, there is a positive association between oral clefts and higher age groups of parents. For this fact it can be mentioned that the incidence of oral clefts is lower in lower birth ranks and higher in higher birth ranks, which is again indirectly influenced by the higher age group of parents.

The Authors describe the case of juvenile hypothyroidism with goiter caused by a congenital defect in the synthesis of the thyroid hormones. The picture of thyroid uptake curve, cromatographic separation of thyroid hormones in serum and of thyroid gland tissue, and the PBI concentration, suggest to include the case among the iodothyrosine dehalogenase defects. Such a defect, though very attenuate, has been found in the patient's mother too. From a genetic point of view, Authors suggest to consider both cases heterozygous expression of the defect; though in the daugther this defect is more accentuate.

Data on defective sex-linked colour vision has been reported on 1580 male subjects drawn from eight endogamous groups of Maharashtrian Brahmins. The range of variation of affected persons is between 0.00 to 8.58%, with an average of 3.97%. The ratio of deuton to proton genes is 2.54: 1.

A great deal of heterogeneity is observed in the groups investigated.

The sex-wise distribution of whorls among the offspring of various parental combinations reveals that the over-all influence of the parents on the same sex offspring is somewhat less marked. A similar tendency is noticed in case of loops and arches. There hardly seems to exist any relationship between the sex of the parents and their offspring regarding the distribution of pattern-types.