Porter — The Growth of St. Louis Children. 333 
during the years 6 and 7 than at any other time, and in 
girls is nearly as great in these years as in the period of 
acceleration. The curve of girls’ height sitting is very similar 
to that of girls’ height standing. In both, the rate of growth 
is more uniform than in weight. Indeed, the period of accel- 
eration in the last named dimension is greater than in any of 
the others. The relative annual increase of boys’ height sit- 
ting seems almost atypical, by reason of its sharp ascent 
at ages 8 and 9 and its failure to sink after age 16. 
The latter feature is perhaps due to an error in the average 
value caused by the small number of observations at age 
17. I am unable to explain the ascent at ages 9 and 
10. The growth in span of arms is somewhat more rapid 
at ages 7 and 8 than during the prepubertal acceleration. 
The curve of girls’ girth of chest differs from the usual 
type in its sudden rise at age 11, the increase at that year 
appearing slightly greater than at age 13. The boys 
curve, on the contrary, agrees very well with the curves of 
weight, height, etc., except that the curve rises at age 
18, where the number of observations, it may be repeated, 
is perhaps too small for very sure work. The quickness 
with which the strength of squeeze decreases after age 7 
is certainly remarkable, as is the sharpness with which the 
prepubertal acceleration is shown. 
Attention will be called in chapter [X, to the importance 
in children of the relation between height and weight, girth of 
chest and other physical dimensions. Unusual height, it will 
be pointed out, iscommonly a disadvantage, because it entails 
an unusual loss of energy. If such individuals have a weight 
and girth of chest, etc., so much above the common as to com- 
pensate their excessive height, they are likely to be able to 
meet all demands on their strength. If they do not possess 
this compensatory development, they will probably be unable 
to meet any excessive demand. Thus the question of how far 
this compensation exists in any individual, or, more broadly 
stated, the question what weight, girth of chest, etc., should 
accompany any given height, becomes of the greatest in- 
terest. This interest, it should be remarked, is unusually 
great in the case of children, for children are taxed with the 
