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CHAPTER I 

 The Physical Examination 



A thorough physical examination can be made 

 only by an experienced physician, but there are 

 a number of physical characteristics which should 

 be noticed at once, not only by the usual physical 

 examiner or gymnastic instructor, but by the 

 school teacher as well — not to speak of the 

 parent. Let us consider the more important of 

 these. 



Carriage 



When one sees a child, the carriage is nearly 

 always the first thing noticed. A normal, healthy 

 child should hold his or her head erect, the 

 shoulders back, though in an unstrained manner, 

 and the chest well rounded. The body should 

 be held naturally erect, with level shoulders and 

 unsagging abdomen. 



Unfortunately many children, from one cause 

 or another, do not carry themselves well. With 

 a number the head is likely to hang forward in 

 a dispirited manner. With the hanging head 

 usually come stoop shoulders, and, in con- 

 sequence, flat chest and protruding abdomen. 

 Sometimes, too, the upper part of the back seems 



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