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21
who needed them, and a better percentage of children obtaining the necessary
medical treatment than ever before. It is the cessation of progress in improving
the dental condition of the children which at present chiefly produces misgiving.
Standards of physical attainment.
In the course of his survey in 1933 of the nutritional state of 10-year old children
in the schools, Dr. R. H. Simpson ascertained their height and weight. In the
following table the averages resulting are compared with those compiled for the
whole of London between 1902 and 1907. There is a gain shown both in boys and
girls, and this confirms other observations made in recent years. Although the
gain is slight in these figures, it must be pointed out that, while the "standard was
obtained from all classes of schools, Dr. Simpson's inquiry related mainly to schools
in Door and overcrowded districts.

The public health department was requested by the education officer to deal
with an enquiry from a Government department on the minimum standard of height
and chest measurement for boys of 14, 14½, 15 and 15½, who would be accepted later
for nautical training.
There were, naturally, no figures for elementary children above the age of 13.
Roberts' tables are 50 years old but they are the most comprehensive available.
There is reason to think all classes of the population have gained about an inch on
Roberts' figures.
Appended are Roberts' heights for artisans and for mixed public schools and
cadets, and, in the third column, the heights in a modern secondary school which
show about one inch gain on Roberts' figures for public schools and cadets.
Given at the foot of each column is the chest measurement as a percentage of
the height. It will be seen that Roberts' chest percentage for public schools and
cadets is higher than that of the other two classes; this is, no doubt, because these
contained a large portion of cadets specially picked from the population for their
robust physique.