INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDKEN. 265 



further and analyze the results, let him hold out 

 his hands free, then some of the spontaneous 

 postures described as expressive of certain brain 

 conditions may be seen, such as the straight hand, 

 the feeble or the nervous hand. The condition of 

 the facial muscles, and in particular the orbicular 

 muscle of the eye, should be specially noted.* Finger- 

 twitching may be seen at the same time. 



Inasmuch as many nerve-muscular signs in the 

 child are reflex actions, we should vary the circum- 

 stances surrounding the child: we speak to him, 

 show him things, and see how he is impressed or 

 effected by them ; that is, we observe the outcome 

 following certain afferent stimuli. If there be any 

 doubt about the condition of the special senses, we 

 note if his head and eyes turn towards a sound or 

 a light. 



We note, then, signs in movement, in nutrition, 

 and in proportional development, and consider what 

 they respectively express. 



In class we may observe the children's move- 

 ments of various kinds : 



(a) Spontaneous movements. 



(]3) Spontaneous movements modified by sur- 

 roundings. 



(7) Spontaneous movements inhibited in part. 



(S) Reflex movements. 



Observing the children at play enables us to 

 form some kind of judgment as to the amount of 

 spontaneous movement; ^and by comparing the 

 action of a child at play with its action in class 



* See chap. xi. p. 206. 



