London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1913

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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116
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1913,
The next table has been compiled from measurements of about 1,000 boys and 1,000 girls at
each of three ages. The average height and weight of the children is shown in groups according
to stature.

The heights are in centimetres and the weights in kilograms.

95.100 c.m.100.105 c.m.105.110 c.m.110.115 c.m.115.120 c.m.
Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.i Ht.Wt.| Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.
Boys aged 597.5015.59102.2416.53106.8517.70111.6019.13
Girls ,, 597.5615.16102.2416.24106.9817.50111.6818.79
Boys aged 8107.7619.14112.5020.33117.0321.77
Girls „ 8107.3618.54112.3720.03117.0521.46
120.125 c.m.125.130 c.m.130.135 c.m.135.140 c.m.140 .145 c.m.
Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.
Boys aged 8121.9823.58126.3525.24131.4526.90
Girls ,, 81218623.28126.512515
Boys aged 12122 7425.04127.4027.06132.1828.89137.0330.97141.6633.38
Girls „ 12122 6524.85127.4326.31132.2428.39136.9430.32141.8432.71

Comparison
of heights
and
weights in
elementary
and special
schools.

Table showing average heights and weights of boys and girls in ordinary Elementary Schools and in special Schools for the Mentally Defective.

Age 7¾Age 8.¼Age 8¾Age 11¼Age 11¾Age 12 ¼
Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.Ht.Wt.
BoysOrdinary Schools Special Schools117.5021.77119.7422.63121.9823.46133.9429.27136.1430.57138.3431.87
115.2921.69116.5521.90118.9322.90130.1828.47131.7529.09133.5130.17
Girls.Ordinary Schools Special Schools116.942018119.3422.02121.7422.86135.9229.92137.3230.77138.7231.62
112.7519 14118.0621.68120.3822.98130.6027.76131.2228.33134.6930.25
No.examined . in Special SchoolsBoys441027617624076
Girls24844812917866

The above table shows a comparison of the heights and weights of mentally defective and
ordinary children at 6 different ages, comprising two groups of three arranged about the two
ages, 8¼ and ll¾ respectively. The average height and weight of children in ordinary schools
was found in 1911 to be—At age 8: Boys, height, 118.62 c.m. ; weight, 22.2 kilograms; Girls,
height, 118.14 c.m.; weight, 21.6 kilograms. At age¾ll¾ (vide supra): Boys, height, 136.14 c.m.;
weight, 30.57 kilograms ; Girls, height, 137.32 c.m. ; weight, 30 77 kilograms.
Assuming that the growth is the same between the ages 7¾, 8¼ and 8¾, and again between 11¼,
ll¾ and 12¼, the average heights and weights at these ages have been calculated in the cases of
ordinary school children. With regard to children in Special Schools the heights and weights of
children from 7½-8, 8.8½, 8½.9, 11.11½, 11½.12, and 12.12½ have been grouped and the average
height and weight for boys and girls in each group has been found. It is obvious that in
examining a group of children reaching the age of 8 in a given year, those examined in the latter
part of the year, as is the case in these schools, are more likely to be older (i.e. over 8) and in the
group of children 7½.8 there would be more nearer to 8 than to 7½, so that the average age of these
children is slightly over 7¾. In the same way in the age group 81.9 the average age is less than 8¾,
The same applies in the age groups 11.11½ and 12.12½, the younger group being more than 11¼ and
the older group less than 12¼. The heights and weights at these definite points 7¾, 8¾, ll¼ and 12¼
years have been calculated on the assumption that the rate of growth at each age is constant.
It will be noticed that in each group the special school children were below the average of
ordinary children in both height and weight,except girls aged 8f whose weight was a trifle greater,
and in this one group the number of children was only 48. For the purposes of this table any cases
in which the age was not definitely obtained in years and months have been neglected.