THE FRAMEWORK OF THE BODY 29 



However, this very flexibility of the bones, in early life, which 

 favors their steady growth and prevents their breaking easily, 

 is sometimes the source of serious deformity. A young child 

 may be allowed to stand and walk too early, and, as a conse- 

 quence, the lower limbs become permanently bent inward, in 

 the distortion called "knock-knees," or outward, as in "bow- 

 legs." For the same reason, a bent position of the spinal 

 column, permitted to exist habitually in childhood, may result 

 in a life-long deformity. 



19. The Erect Posture. Youth is, in a great measure, the 

 forming as well as the growing period of the frame. Bad 

 habits of posture, early formed, become fixed in later life, and 

 their results as seen in contracted chests and round shoulders 

 are with difficulty remedied. Eight habits, on the other 

 hand, tend to produce an erectness of posture which is favor- 

 able, not alone to strength and health, but also to grace and 

 ease. The following directions should be learned and prac- 

 ticed: hold the head erect with the chin somewhat near the 

 neck; expand the chest in front; throw the shoulders back, 

 keeping them of the same height on both sides ; maintain the 

 natural curves of the spine, as shown in the last figure. Man 

 alone, of all the animals, has the power to stand and move in 

 the erect posture. 



it happ^ned. Let this statement, too, be in writing, if possible. It may 

 well happen, however, that skilled assistance cannot be had, and in this 

 case the patient should be undressed quietly and cautiously. It will be 

 far better to slit up the dress on the arm or leg with a pair of scissors than 

 to pull it off ; but however the covering of the injury may be managed, it 

 must be done very slowly and gently, and the limb should be supported 

 so as to prevent jarring and shaking to the damaged part. It must be 

 carefully kept, too, in a right direction, for otherwise some sharp splinter 

 of bone may penetrate the hitherto unwounded skin." First Help in 

 Accidents and Sickness. 



19. What is the forming period ? Effects of bad habits of posture ? Directions for 

 correct posture ? 



