O. A. Merkitt Hawkes 



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variation in the comparative length of the toes, on account of age. 

 But, as the epiphyses unite with the shaft bones of the feet at 17 to 

 21 years in males and 14 to 18 in females, those ages must be considered 

 adult as regards the feet, so that the female children examined by me 

 were approximately adult. During the last four yeai-s I have had 

 19 children under observation from birth. Six of these babies altered 

 from A, B or S types to L during the first two years of life, but in no 

 case did a child obviously an L type at birth or slightly later (1 month) 

 change to any of the other types. Never have I found a change of toe- 

 type taking place after two years of age. These observations suggest 

 that the adult condition as regards toe-type is reached by the age of 

 two years. That a change does take place can be seen by comparing 

 the radiograph of a child of one (Fig. 3) with the toe-tracing of the 

 same child at two years (Fig. 2, v). The final position of the bones 

 depends upon the period at which the child walks, the flexed position of 

 the bones being retained in the foetal condition until the foot is flattened 

 by some months of standing and walking. 



'j^ 



Fig. 3. Kadiogiapb of child of one year, showing ,S' type. (Foot held down by an adult. 



