PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. 553 
Girls do not increase in height with regularity, but in 
a series of undulations. From 7 to 8 years the growth is 
very marked, the increase in stature being more than 2 
inches; from 8 to 13 years the increase is rapid and fairly 
regular, the annual growth averaging about two inches and 
a tenth. After 13 years the rate of growth greatly dimin- 
ishes, but during the next 18 months it is still an inch and 
a half per annum. From age 14} the growth slackens, the 
average being about one inch per annum, until the 
maximum height is attained shortly after the 17th year. 
Comparing the stature of boys and of girls it is found 
that at 54 years of age the boys are almost an inch and a 
half taller than the girls. About the seventh year girls 
appear to grow faster than boys, and at 84 years the 
heights are about equal, and continue so until approaching 
the 11th year, when girls grow much faster than boys; at 
age 13 years, the superiority is one inch and two-fifths 
(12 in.). At the age 134 the girls are still the taller, but the 
difference is rapidly lessened, until at about age 15 the 
boys again regain their superiority of stature. 
The observations do not admit of anything definite being 
stated regarding children beyond age 16, but it would seem 
that there is very little increase in the stature of girls after 
age 17 has been reached, while the boys apparently are 
still growing strongly at age 18. The following table gives 
the height of girls sitting and standing from 5} to 16 years. 
