PHYSICAL DEVIATIONS AMONG CHILDREN IN ELEMENTAUY SCHOOLS. 615 



tomed to note size, texture of tissue, and in particular the parts of the 

 features, and describe as abnormal absence or ill-proportioning of parts. 

 Thus the cranium was not noted as small unless the circumference be less 

 than 19 in. at eight years old, or 19^ in. among older children, while the 

 general volume is estimated by the open hand placed upon it : the fore- 

 head, its width and height ; presence of a median ridge or lateral bosses ; 

 in the ear the presence of helix, antihelix, pinna, lobe, and the general 

 convexity and character of the cutaneous covering, &c. 



The most frequent deviations from the normal cranium are in size, 

 small head being most common among girls, while over-large heads were 

 frequently associated with bosses, and were most common among boys. 

 Other types of heads were asymmetrical, and a few cases of hydrocephalus 

 were found in schools. 



Defects in palate may usually be described as narrow, arched or 

 vaulted, or V-shaped, the straight alveolar processes meeting at an acute 

 angle anteriorly. 



The bony bridge of the nose is often ill-developed, flat, and wide. The 

 mouth and palpebral fissures may be small. 



The epicanthis, at the inner angle of the eye-opening, is often marked. 

 Other defects in development are less frequently met with, including 

 supernumerary ears, defect or absence of limbs, cleft palate, &c. 



The deviations from normal development here recorded are those well 

 known in criminal anthropology, and as common among imbeciles ; but 

 the degree of ill-proportioning in the bodily condition of school children 

 is usually much less than in idiots. 



Defects of bodily development are frequently found to be coincident 

 with defects of brain, lowering mental status, but not necessarily so. The 

 connecting link between defects of body and defective mental action is 

 the coincident defect of brain, which may be known by observation of 

 * abnormal nerve-signs.' ' It is the coincident observation of conditions 

 of development and * nerve-signs,' indicating brain action, that forms a 

 special feature of the present investigation, and distinguishes the methods 

 used from older physiognomical research. 



Another fact co-related with defect in development is the tendency of 

 such children — especially girls — to become thin, pale, and delicate. It is 

 in the co-relation of abnormalities in the proportioning of parts of the body 

 with abnormal nerve-signs, low nutrition, and mental dulness that we 

 find a criterion of the really defective status connected with the abnor- 

 mality. "We describe, not only defective children, but every child pre- 

 senting a visible defect. 



As the ' nerve- signs ' may be new to many readers a brief description 

 of some may be given. 



The face is conveniently divided into three zones, the frontal, the 

 middle down to the lower level of the orbits, and the lower containing the 

 nostrils and the mouth. Deviations from the normal muscular action 

 and balance are termed ' abnormal nerve-signs ' : their value depends on 

 the significance as indices of action in the nerve-centres which produce 

 them. 



Frontal Muscles overacting. — Horizontal creases on the forehead are 

 thus produced in varying degree : the creases may be fine, producing a 



' To this view of the question, as demonstrated by the original researches of 

 Dr. Warner, the Committees attach great weight. 



