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A test of the Whitaker scoring system for estimating age from the bones of the foot.
Davies C, Hackman L, Black S.
Int J Legal Med. 2012 Oct 4

 

If I remember correctly Whitaker was a dentist working on the Spitalfields collection at the Natuaral History Museum in London at the same time as I was (~1990). I seem to remember that at the time his estimations of skeletal age from teeth were actually quite good. I have never heard of age estimation from foot bones before, and am not surprised at the results. Rob

 

Reminds me of the recent controversy re using the x-ray of wrist bones to determine age in kids who were used as smugglers of boat people to Australia

Here is the relevant chapter in the report from the govt inquiry into this:
Chapter 2: Biomedical markers and the assessment of chronological age

 

Actually, assuming I have the correct Whittaker, he is quite a character. When I knew him, 20 odd years ago, he was at the University of Wales in Cardiff - but with a broad northern accent - even stronger than mine. The Sptialfields collection was one of the first to be used in this manner - and is an interesting annecdote, so please excuse my ramblings. The Spitalfields church cript filled slowly from about 1750-perhaps 1870 (all dates approx). Then, the story goes that in about 1970, they wanted it back for use in the down-and-out trade - for soup kitchen stuff. All the occupants had age-at-death data, and a rudimentary death certificate, with cause of death. Thus, here for the first time, was a chance to test the skeletal age at death with the real thing. My memory tells me, that aprt from Whittakers tooth work, the estimates were widely out. I remember that one of the occupants, was Louisa Courtauld - found of the Courtauld textile empire. Also also remember the first recording of industrial disease - the local publilcan died of "dropsy" - later confirmed to be liver failure. Another died of "mortification of the feet". Altogether a fascinating place. Last I heard, the curator was Dr Louise Humphrey, and as far as I know, it is still available for bone fide study. Rob

 

Age Estimation Using Foot Radiographs from a Modern Scottish Population.
Hackman L, Davies CM, Black S.
J Forensic Sci. 2012 Oct 19.