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85
of the boys examined shows that they do not differ materially in this school from the standard
usually found in this respect.
At a meeting of the Royal Society of Medicine in February, 1935, Dr. Robert
Hutchinson remarked that there is still a great deal of confusion from failure to
distinguish between physique and nutrition.
Dr. A. B. Francklyn has made a short study of gains in height and weight at
the Essendine-road and Barlby-road open-air classes, and has compared them with
those of certain debilitated children receiving milk in school.
The object of this analysis is to determine, if possible, the actual improvement
in the children's health by objective means.
The first point that emerges on comparing the results obtained at Barlby-road open-air
class, with those of Essendine-road open-air class is the superiority of results obtained at
Essendine-road during the period for April to October, 1934 (see figs. 8 and 9).
Dr.
Francklyn's
report on
open-air
classes.
fig. 8. graph comparing gains in weight
in the three groups, april to october,
1934.
fig. 9. graph comparing gains in height
in the three groups, april to october,
1934.
The average gains in weight andheight, respectively, were 1.24 kilos., and 2.27 cms., at
Barlby-road, compared with 1.49 kilos. and 4.1 cms. at Essendine-road.
The superior gain in weight is almost negligible, but the gain in height is markedly above
that of Barlby-road, and is significant.
If the results of these two classes are compared with the results obtained from children on
"official milk," it will be seen that the two open-air classes show a superiority in both height
and weight for the summer session. The children on "official milk" only show an average
gain of 0.9 kilo. in weight, and 1.9 cm. in height for the period from May to October. But on
examining their records over longer periods the picture is found to be reversed. The children
on milk gain steadily throughout the year at an almost uniform pace. Winter gains and
summer gains are almost of a constant nature. Take for instance, this record for the past twelve
months:—

The fluctuations are slight and almost insignificant. If the average gains at Barlby-road
open-air class are considered over the same period, marked fluctuations in weight and rate of
growth are disclosed :—