ON THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DEFECTS OF CHILDREN. 505 



looking to the four main classes of defect in each case. It has not been 

 possible in our examinations conducted in schools to use anthropometric 

 methods to any extent, but new information has been supplied upon an 

 extended basis of observation as to the significance of deviations from the 

 normal proportioning of the bodily development. 



It has been fairly established by observation, independent of argu- 

 ments derived from other sources, that the ' nerve-signs ' recorded in this 

 investigation correspond to disordered brain conditions, such as produce 

 in their mental function dull and backw^ard children. 



Of cases with 'nerve-signs' 41 '5 per cent, of boys, 42-6 per cent, of 

 girls were reported as dull ; of development defect with ' nerve-signs,' 45"1 

 per cent, of boys, .31 -6 per cent, of girls, were reported as dull. Ill-pro- 

 portioned bodies with motor indications of disorderly or slowly acting 

 brains are very apt to be dull mentally. In these facts we find further 

 evidence of a physical basis of mental action and expression. The pro- 

 bability that the children reported by the teachers as dull were backward 

 children is indicated by the large proportion of them found to be over 

 age for the class or educational standard in which they had been placed 

 in school. 



In Table I. is given a class, ' G. Exceptional Children.' This includes 

 all children whose physical or mental conditions show them to be obviously 

 at a permanent disadvantage therefrom in social life. This group includes 

 idiots, imbeciles, ' children feebly gifted mentally ' ; children mentally 

 exceptional or deficient in moral sense ; epileptics and children M-ith 

 history of fits during school life ; dumb children and all children crippled, 

 deformed, maimed, or jmralysed. All these exceptional children need to 

 be considered individually : they form about 1'5 per cent, of the school 

 population. 



Reviewing the work of which we thus give a brief account, it may be 

 stated that the object has been to furnish a reliable statement of the 

 conditions observed among children seen in schools. The inquiry com- 

 menced in 1888, and 100,000 children in all have been examined and 

 reported on. The points worthy of note have been defined and 

 enumerated ; the children have been distributed in groups according to 

 the combinations of points they presented, and classified in other ways, 

 including special particulars as to the children with mental or other 

 deficiency, the numbers in each class being recorded. The methods of 

 reporting and preparing statistical statements have been carefully elabo- 

 rated and systematised. 



Information has from time to time been supplied to the Government 

 departments and other public bodies as to the provision needed for dull 

 and backward children ; the classification of children in schools providing 

 secondary education ; children in Poor Law schools and other institutions, 

 and on other important questions. 



It is hoped that the scientific classification of children and enumera- 

 tion of conditions existing among them will lead to the adoption of means 

 of social improvement, and we recommend the continuation of such 

 inquiries in other parts of the country. 



The Committee desire to be reappointed, and ask a grant in aid of 

 the work. 



