ON ANTHROPOMETKIC WORK IN SCHOOLS. 44'3 



The Acuteness of Vision of each pupil should be tested once a j'ear, 

 since certain defects of eye-sight commonly begin during school life. 



The test for Colotir Vision need not be repeated, since colour-blindness, 

 except that which occurs with disease of the eye, is congenital, not 

 acquired. 



The test-letters (price is. 6d. framed) and coloured wools (price 

 is. 6rf.) may be obtained from Messrs. Bailey &. Co., Bennett's Hill, 

 Birmingham, or other makers of optical instruments. 



V. Hearing (Voice Test). — (1) Instruct the pupil to close the eyes 

 and to repeat any words spoken by the observer. (2) The observer 

 should stand at the opposite side of the room and say words for the pupil 

 to repeat, pitching his voice in an ordinary conversational tone. (3) The 

 observer should gradually approach the pupil until he is distinctly heard. 



(4) The distance should be compared with that at which words, uttered 

 in the same tone, are heard by a person of known good hearing. (5) In 

 order to test the hearing power of each ear separately, the pupil should 

 stop one with his finger whilst the other is being examined. 



(Watch Test). — (1) The greatest distance at which the tick of the 

 watch to be used can be heard must be ascertained by testing with it a 

 person of known good hearing. (The hearing distance of an English 

 lever watch is about 60 inches.) (2) Let the pupil close his eyes, stop 

 the left ear with his finger. (3) Instruct him to say when he first hears 

 the tick. (4) The observer stands at the pupil's right side, holding the 

 watch outside the range of hearing and on a level with the pupil's ear. 



(5) He gradually brings the watch nearer to the pupil until the tick is 

 distinctly heard. (6) The left ear should then be tested in the same 

 manner. (7) The two distances and the hearing distance of the watch 

 should be recorded in inches. Thus, if the hearing distance of the watch 

 be 60 inches, and the pupil hears it with the right ear at 40 inches, and 

 with the left at 2.5, the result should be recorded as 



^^- 60 



These fractions must not be reduced to their lowest term. The watch 

 method is the better, but more troublesome. If used for children, it 

 must be repeated two or three times at the same examination, as the 

 statements are often unreliable. The same watch must always be used. 



Note. — Inattention in children is often due to deafness. In all cases 

 of deafness, the attention of the parent should be called to the necessity 

 for treatment, especially if (a) there is a discharge of matter from the 

 ears, or (b) the pupil seems always to have a cold, or (c) constantly 

 breathes through the mouth instead of the nose. Observations as to 

 hearing should be made twice annually. 



Group B. — ^on-essential Observations. 



Other valuable observations are — (1) size of head ; (2) span of arms ; 

 (3) length of trunk. These observations can be rapidly and easily 

 taken ; but in order to avoid over-burdening this circular, no instructions 

 respecting them are here given. Any person desirous of carrying them 

 out will receive full instructions by applying to the Secretary of the 

 Committee, 



Professor Windle, D.Sc, M.D., 



Mason College, Birmingham. 



