146 



EEPOBT — 1880. 



Percentage Proportion of above in Three Periods. 



From 1 to 3 

 „ 4 „ 10 

 „ 11 „ 16 



Total 



100- 100- 



The importance of the period between 11 and 13 among girls is again 

 illustrated by the above comparison. 



9° Of continuous rapid growth the instances were not numerous, but 

 they were more striking among the girls, and chiefly at an early age. 



10° The following table would be of much value if the observations 

 were more numerous. The periods have been divided according to evi- 

 dent changes in the average growth of one or both sexes. It wiU not 

 escape remark that the average growth of both sexes between 3 and 9 was 



exactly equal. 



Boys Girls 



From 1 to 3 average annual growth 3'61 3-87 inches 



„ 3 „ y „ „ 2-48 2-48 



„ 9 „ 11 „ „ 1-87 2-14 



„ 11 „ 13 „ „ 1-97 2-88 



„ 13 „ 17 „ „ 216 115 



„ 17 „ 20 „ „ 0-66 0-38 



The more general, but not less valuable, remarks of Professor Bow- 

 ditch on his original table, published in the ' Boston Medical and Surgical 

 Journal' of December 19, 1872, are as follows : — 



' The measurements were all taken annually during the last twenty- 

 five years, and the individuals were all nearly related to each other. An 

 examination of the curves shows the following facts : — 



' 1. Growth is most rapid during the earliest years of life. 



' 2. During the first twelve years boys are from one to two inches taller 

 than girls of the same age. 



' 3. At about twelve and a half years of age girls begin to grow faster 

 than boys, and, during the fourteenth year, are about one inch taller than 

 boys of the same age. 



' 4. At fourteen and a half years of age boys again become the taller, 

 girls having, at this period, very nearly completed their growth, while 

 boys continue to grow rapidly till 19 years of age.' 



The Committee adds the following table illustrative of the greater 

 weight as well as height of girls during a critical period of life, ab- 

 stracted from Mr, Roberts's paper on ' Factory Children ' (1876). 



