The author regrets the inclusion of six errors in the above article.
Page 16, line 18
Quoting works published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Bäck similarly noted that ‘maybe some mixing takes place in their bags of Vitriolic and bitter [humors] …whatever stands best to reason. Those who hereafter have the opportunity to open Negros know to not forget to notice that their bile is always black’.
Should read:-
Quoting works published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Bäck similarly noted that ‘Those who hereafter have the opportunity to open Negroes will perchance not forget to examine whether their bile is always black’.
Page 17, line 16
In his article for the Transactions, Bäck regarded the curse of Ham given by Noah to the descendants of Canaan as a more plausible cause of black skin than classical climatic and geographical explanations.
Should read:-
In his article for the Transactions, Bäck regarded the curse of Ham given by Noah to the descendants of Canaan as even easier to refute than classical climatic and geographical explanations.
Page 17, line 21
Perhaps aware of the recurring objections that no mention of skin colour was explicitly found in the biblical text itself, Bäck speculated that ‘black skin’ might be a mere physical manifestation resulting from the ‘progenitors’ imagination’ that a curse had been bestowed upon their ancestors long ago, and then transmitted by the mother: ‘It is still easier to situate their explanation as belief, that the Negroes’ blackness came from the curse that God let fall on the descendants of Cham, or that the imagination of the progenitors caused this blackness to become an inheritance in the family’.
Should read:-
Perhaps aware of the recurring objections that no mention of skin colour was explicitly found in the biblical text itself, Bäck also refuted that ‘black skin’ might be a mere physical manifestation resulting from the ‘progenitors’ imagination’ that a curse had been bestowed upon their ancestors long ago, and then transmitted by the mother: ‘It is still easier to refute the opinion of those who believe that the Negroes’ blackness came from the curse that God let fall on the descendants of Cham, or that the imagination of the progenitors caused this blackness to become an inheritance in the family’.
Page 17, line 29
This was an original stance, which echoed widely held beliefs that thoughts from the pregnant mother could influence the skin colour of a child, and even manifest as birthmarks on foetuses.
Should read:-
This stance echoed widely held beliefs that thoughts from the pregnant mother could influence the skin colour of a child, and even manifest as birthmarks on foetuses.
Page 17, line 34
While Bäck’s medical interpretation of the curse did not interfere with his monogenism, it still stood at odds with some of his academy colleagues
Should read:-
Bäck’s refutation of the curse did not interfere with his monogenism, nor with the views of his academy colleagues
Page 18, line 9
Bäck’s medical explanation of the curse of Ham, though quite typical for the period, thus represented one of the most original aspects of his views on race.
Should read:-
Bäck’s rejection of the curse of Ham was thus quite typical for his milieu and period.
The author apologizes for these errors and wishes to correct them through this notice.
Open access
