Contextually, the study was published in 1901 amidst furore over the ongoing Second Boer War, in which Britain, an Imperialist-power, was seemingly unable to defeat a "far-inferior" Boer force of Calvinistic farmers. During the war, the authorities encountered immense difficulty in actually finding men to fight. One in three potential recruits were refused on medical grounds.
In context, this study was published in 1901 amid Britain's involvement in the Second Boer War, a conflict where it appeared unable to defeat an "inferior" Boer force of Calvinistic farmers. During the war, authorities encountered significant challenges in recruiting soldiers; one-third of potential recruits were rejected for medical reasons.