l 34 



GROWTH 



Figure 76. First we have the general type, which includes the 

 skeleton, musculature, and many of the thoracic and abdominal 

 viscera. Since these structures constitute the chief bulk of the 

 body, their combined growth curve necessarily conforms closely 

 to that of the body as a whole. The reproductive organs follow 

 the genital type, with slow growth during childhood and rapid 

 acceleration at puberty. The opposite tendency is seen in the 

 neural type, which includes the brain, spinal cord, eyes, and 

 many other head structures. Here we have more rapid growth 

 during infancy and childhood, so that the adult size is reached 

 early, and growth practically ceases before the age of puberty. 

 Finally the lymphoid type, including the lymph glands, thy- 

 mus, etc., through early rapid growth reaches a maximum size 

 about the age of puberty, with a marked decrease later in both 

 relative and absolute weight. 



Lymphoid Type 



Thymus , Lymph-nodes, 

 Intestinal Lymphoid masses. 



Neural Type 



Brain and its parh ,Dura, 

 Spinal cord , Optic Apparatus. 

 Many head dimensions. 



General Type 



Body as a whole. Edema! dimensions 

 {with exception of head and neck). 

 Respiratory and Digestive organs, 

 Kidneys, Aorta, and pulmonary trunks, 

 Spleen, Musculature as a whole, 

 Skeleton as a whole. 



Genital Type 



7esbs, Ovary , Epididymis, Uterine 

 tube, Prostate, Prostatic urethra. 

 Seminal vesicles. 



£Ourx 



Figure 76. Graph showing types of human postnatal growth. The horizontal base line 

 (.abscissa) indicates the age; the vertical distance (ordinate) indicates the percentage of 

 the final weight which is reached by each type at the corresponding age. Scammon. 43 



