Genetics and the Human Race

Abstract

Author emphasizes that race must be defined by gene frequencies as well as by descriptive and mensurational morphological traits. The action of selection on blood groups is emphasized and the relation of the ABO group to disease (cancer of stomach, colon, rectum) is discussed, as well as sickling and its relation to malaria. ABO, MN, Rh, and haptoglobin frequencies are given for representative populations. Boyd suggests a serological racial grouping: European (Early, Lapps, N. W., E. and C, Mediterranean); African (of Africa, of Asia, Indo-Dravidian); American Indian; Pacific (Indonesian, Melanesian, Polynesian, Australian Abo).