134 



Scientific Proceedings (119). 



of full-term children. If, on the other hand, the effects of the 

 extrauterine environment do not seriously modify the course of 

 growth established in prenatal life, it is to be expected that the 

 curve of rate of growth in prematures will follow in general that 

 of the fetus of the same gestation age. 



The following study was based upon the weight records of 78 

 premature infants. In collecting the histories all cases were in- 

 cluded which made any gain in weight in the first month after 

 birth. These cases were divided in four groups according to 

 their birth weight, and the rate of growth in the form of the 

 monthly percentage increment in weight was determined separa- 

 tely for each case. The mean monthly increment of each groud 

 for each month was then determined by averaging these in- 

 dividual percentages. The results obtained are shown in the 

 table below. It will be noted : first, that the percentage increment 

 in weight of prematures in the first postnatal month is lower 

 than in the second month, and that following the second month 

 the rate of increment gradually decreases; and, second, the per- 

 centage increments are in a general way inversely proportional to 

 the birth weight. 



Average Monthly Percentage Increments in Body-weight of Premature 

 and Full-term Children in Infancy. 







Group. 







A 



B 



C 



D 



Range in birth-weight (grams) 



1,000 



1,500 



2,000 



ca. 2,750 





to 



to 



to 



to 





1,500 



2,000 



2,500 



ca. 4,200 



Approximate average birth weight 













1,300 



1,720 



2,300 



3,38o 



Total number of cases 



17 



35 



26 



* 



Average percentage increment in: 













22.8 



16.8 



138 



21.2 



Second month 



45-1 



31-6 



26.7 



19.4 





245 



20.4 



15-5 



14.6 





21. 1 



17.2 



US 



IZ.4 





16.2 



13-6 





8.9 





144 







5-8 





11.6 







5-9 



Eighth month 



7-4 







3-9 



Ninth month 



5-1 







4.0 



* Average of ten large published series of observations. 



