Summarizing the above, we may say that an approximate 

 deviation of 10% from the average weight of boys for each 

 height, and a deviation of about 12% from the average weight 

 of girls, would result in the dropping of over 13% of the children 

 on the score of deficient weight for their height. Attractive 

 and highly desirable as this may be as a social programme for 

 the conservation of child life and the prevention of the prema- 

 ture entry of children into industrial work, the authors are 

 nevertheless not ready to suggest the adoption of so radical a 

 standard. They are aware that they have considered in this 

 investigation applicants who were actually granted work 

 papers, and it has seemed to them that the elimination of 13% 

 of such children on the score of insufficient weight for their 

 height would involve too great a departure from present 

 practice. It is, therefore, suggested that a somewhat greater 

 deviation from the average be permitted, namely, 15%. This is 

 along the lines of the practice of life insurance companies, which 

 allow a deviation of 20% above and below the average weight 

 for each height, in passing upon the acceptability of a risk 

 for life insurance. Allowing for the lesser variability in weight 

 for given heights on the part of children as compared with 

 adults, the limit of 15% seems reasonable. On this basis, 

 which is approximately 1 J a instead of 1 a , not 684 cases, 

 but 189 cases, or 3.5%, would be eliminated among the boys, 

 and not 632 cases, but 436 cases, or 9.4%, would be eliminated 

 among the girls. This is more conservative, and would seem 

 to meet satisfactorily the requirements of the case. 



It is realized that this 15% limit works out more stringently 

 with the girls than with the boys, excluding as it does a much 

 higher percentage of the former than of the latter. But it 

 seems that social considerations fully warrant such discrimina- 

 tion. In the large majority of cases the girls enter economic 

 employment only for a temporary period. They give up 

 industrial work when they marry, and enter upon their natural 

 vocation of motherhood. This is their most important function, 

 and it requires preeminently an unimpaired physical con- 

 dition. The longer that their entry into the stress and strain 

 of employment is postponed, the better are their chances to 

 develop the faculties which are essential to strong motherhood. 

 The health officer should, therefore, scrutinize most carefully 

 the girls on the border line. The apparent discrimination 

 which our suggested minimum weight-limit works against 



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