24 MAL-NUTRITION AND THE TEACHER'S 



The necessity for a clear understanding of Dr. Warner's 

 method of examination justifies the following rather long 

 quotation from his Report (p. lo) : 



' Viewing a child, we see its body and some of the indica- 

 tions of brain action. 



* The signs observed are of two kinds : (A) points of form, 

 proportion and indications of type of development of the 

 body and its separate parts ; thus looking at the child, we 

 note the cranium and the separate features, the ears, the 

 nose, the palpebral fissures, and the mouth, i. e. its physiog- 

 nomy ; also its growth and the indications of nutrition. 



*(B) Nerve signs are seen in the balance of the head, 

 the spine, the upper extremity, and the digits as well as in 

 the facial action and eye movements. These movements 

 and balances of action or postures are observed as signs of 

 the action and condition of the nerve centres. Inspection 

 of the children is most conveniently conducted in a large 

 and well-lighted room, the pupils being drawn up in ranks, 

 a standard at a time, or in groups of about forty, so that 

 the inspector may view each individual. It is convenient to 

 fix the child's eyes by asking each in turn to look at an 

 object held up, e. g. a shilling at the end of a pencil. The 

 trained observer can read off the physiognomy of the 

 individual features and their parts, the facial condition and 

 eye movements, the balance of the head and body, &c., as 

 quickly as a printed line. 



' The children in the group are then requested to hold 

 their hands out straight, the action being shown them 

 momentarily ; the balance is noted as a further indication 

 of the nerve condition. Finally, the palate is inspected 

 in every child. 



' At each stage of inspection, children presenting deviations 

 from the normal are asked to stand aside ; any dull children 



