The correlation of bone robusticity with the perforation of the coronoid‐olecranon septum in the humerus of man

Hrdlička ('32) theorized that the tendency towards perforation of the coronoid‐olecranon septum of the humerus was phylogenetic in origin, but its appearance also seemed to be negatively correlated with bone size. By determining the correlation between the occurrence of the perforation and certain standard anthropometric measurements, the present study provides a statistical tool to test Hrdlička's hypothesis more rigorously. The minimum middle diameter of the humerus is shown to be significantly related to the occurrence of septal perforation, in samples of archeological skeletal material. Using the minimum middle diameter of the humerus as a quantitative assessment of robusticity, more robust samples were found to have smaller mean percentages of perforation.