London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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88
measurement and "D" the longitudinal measurement in centimetres. Classification
has been made according to the Frankfurt nomenclature, namely, dolichocephaly
75 and below, mesaticephaly from 75.1 to 79.9, brachycephaly from 80 to 85, and
hyperbrachycephaly 85.1 and above.
Table A, showing the intelligence quotients of the 100 children divided into eight groups.
| Cephalic index. | Intelligence quotients. | Total. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66—75. | 76—85. | 86—95. | 96—105. | .106-115. | 116-125. | 126-135. | 136-145. | ||
| Dolichocephaly under 75 | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 or 6.3% |
| Mesaticephaly 75.1—79.9 | — | 8 | 14 | 13 | 12 | — | 1 | — | 48 or 43.7% |
| Brachycephaly 80—85 | I | 5 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 47 or 42.7% |
| Hyperbrachy-cephaly 85.1 and above | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | 1 | - | 8 or 7.3% | |
| Total | 1 | 18 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 110 |
| or .9% | or 16.4% | or 25.5% | or 26.4% | or 23.6% | or 3.6% | or 2.7% | or •9% | ||
An impression prevails, particularly amongst people themselves myopic, that
the myope is highly intelligent. Those examined were on the whole a very normal
set of children, though the percentage of decided subnormals (quotients 85 and
under) is greater than amongst ordinary children. Terman gives the average percentage
subnormal as 11.3, whereas of these myopes 17.3 per cent. fall into this
group. Possibly the percentage is not quite a true one for the youngest moypes,
only recently admitted from an ordinary school, are often very shy and diffident,
and it is with difficulty that they can be induced to perform verbal tests in particular.
It is only after they have worked for a time with others similarly handicapped and
in conditions suitable for the myopic eye that they gain confidence and show their
real ability.
The number of very brilliant myopes with intelligence quotients of 116 and over
is 8 or 7.2 per cent., as compared with Terman's percentage of 11.85 amongst ordinary
children.
Taking Gentiles and Jews separately, 16 or 18.6 per cent. of the 86 Gentiles
have quotients of 85 and less, and 4 or 4.7 per cent. have quotients of 116 and more.
Similar figures for the 24 Jews are 3 or 12.5 per cent. with quotients of 85 or less,
and 24 or 16.7 per cent. with quotients of 116 and more. Comparative precocity,
both mental and physical, of the Jewish child is generally recognised.
Table B, showing the intelligence quotients of Gentiles.
| Cephalic index. | Intelligence quotients. | Total. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66—75. | 76—85. | 86—95. | 96-105. | 106-115. | 116-125.] 126-135- | 136-145. | |||
| Dolichocephaly under 75 | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 or 8.1% |
| Mesaticephaly 75.1—79.9 | — | 8 | 12 | 12 | 11 | — | — | — | 43 or 50% |
| Brachycephaly 80—85 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | 33 or 38.4% |
| Hvperbrachycephaly 85.1 and above | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 or 3.5% |
| Total | 1 | 15 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 3 | 1 | — | 86 |
| or | or | or | or | or | or | or | |||
| 1.2% | 17.4% | 26.7% | 25.6% | 24.4% | 3.5% | 1.2% | |||