The physical examination and development of public school boys : based upon records of over 40,000 observations : a paper read before the Association on April 4th, 1899 / by Cecil Hawkins.

Hawkins, Cecil.

Date:: 1900

Credit: The physical examination and development of public school boys : based upon records of over 40,000 observations : a paper read before the Association on April 4th, 1899 / by Cecil Hawkins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$indicated towards the right of every curve in Fig. 4, is only shown on the higher curves in Fig. 5, the lower grades not having reached that stage of their development at the age shown. Thus we see that development continues fairly rapid in Aveight for some time after it has become slow in height, so that the weight of boys of the same height may be expected to increase with the boy’s age. The maximum Aarriation l)etAveen grades 2 and 19 continues increasing nearly np to the age of 16^, years longer than in height. This variation amounts to 26 lb. at the age of ; 5() lb. at 16^ ; and has decreased to 48 at 18^. The number of ol)ser\^ations AAhich haA'e been utilised in the construction of each of these diagiams is betAveen 14,000 and 15,000, an el I consider the form of the cuiwes to be fairly trustAvorth} between the ages of 12 and \1\. Outsiele these limits I have not much confidence in them, though the upper portion shoAvn is probably substantially correct. 'The extreme loAver portion I can only describe as the best guess that I can make with the material at my command. Fig. G gives the graeles of chest-girth, constructeel from observations recordeel at one school only. The same general characteristics may be seen, but the period of most rapid groAvth conies a few months later in each cur\e than in the corresponding curAn of Fig. 4. The period of slow groAvth has not lieen reached by any one of the curves. The extreme Anriation between grades 2 and 19, which is 4J in. at 12, increases up to the age of 16^, when it reaches its maximum of nearly 64 in. The curves appear to sIioav that development in chest-girth is as a rule spread OA^er a longer period than development in height or Aveight. The irregularity Avhich may be seen at the loAvest pa it of the curves in Fig. 6 Avill serve to illustrate what I mean by saying that the loAvest part of my curA^es are not to be relied on. I haA'e not attempted to smooth the irregularities out because I have not sufficient data to shoAv hoAv this ought to be done. The chief causes as hich make curves untrustAvorthy are (1) insufficient number$