The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-19
Paotes' porttolto.
INJURIOUS HABITS AND POS
TURE5 OF CHILDREN.
Rules and Suggestions for their
Avoidance.

School and at Home, and their lnnuence
upon the Health of the Young, and especial
" upon their Growth and Carriage, which
appeared Ia the Monthly Sanitary Journal,
Of Brunswick. is we'll worthy Of p~erusal,
and contains the following general rules,
which have the assent ofditferent physicians
of high authority: /. The carrying of chill
dren on the side, on the arm, by nurses, is
improper, as it frequently occasions defects
In form and growth. , Lying on the back
is the best position In the earlier years, as
it meets all the requirements OF health. 3.
In raising itself up, and In learning to walk,
the child should be left TO its own strength,
or should at most only be assisted as 1t may
have need. Every premature attempt to
walk may occasion curvature of the spine
and of the bones Of the feet and all artii
cial supports, as &C -carts, belts, etc., are in
furious. 4. Carrying heavy articles, such
as school satchels, smaller children, ETC., on
one side, instead of upon the back, should
ne avoided. Neither should girls that are
not full grown sew with thread that is too
long. embroider on frames, nor engage in
similar occupations. 5. All the limbs OF a
child should be uniformly exercised. Neg
lect Of the left arm, or the left hand, or Of
the left side in general, will render one side
h~igh-shouldered 6. Improper positions,
as standing on one foot with the other foot
DdTetN Ill COutdSU II IN hOO13 ~ "hiSli
the body is constrained into a slovenly, in
cIined position, occasion curvature OF the
spine. Z. Coats, jackets, and garments of
all kinds should be wide enough across the
chest and in the armholes. The garments
of girls should not be cut so low that the
shoulder,.seam slips down over the shoulder,
thus producing a feeling of discomfort, and,
as a consequence, a continual unequal work
ing of the shoulders back and forth, as well
as upward, which gives rise to bad habits of
carriage. Corsets are under all clrcum-
stances attended with danger to the develop
ment of girls, as also high heels on shoes.
Both are termed by DIR. Schreber "the
harmful qualification of the feminine taste
for dress s. Bodily exercise, as skating,
swimming, and, above, all, gymnastics,
neutralizes many evil influences upon the
body, and lmparts beauty of form as we'll as
strength. Walking on stills, for example,
is peculiarly effective for correcting defects
of carriage resulting from weakness of the
upper dorsal muscles, as STOPPING OF the
shoulders, and turning of the toes inward.
The following suggestions relate more
particularly to the position in writing, etc.,
at the desk in school, or the workable at
home. /. The vertical distance of the in
ner edge of the table from the surface of the
bench or chair should be adjusted to the
distance of the elbows of the individual
from the surface of the seat. If a chair
must be made high enough to meet this re-
quirement by something placed beneath,
care should be taken that the seat does not
slope. 2. The edge of the bench or chair
should project about two inches beyond the
'front.' or inner edge of the table or desk. 3.
The height of the Sc It must be determined
by the length of the lower part of tho leg of
the individual. The feet should rest en-
tirely and comfortably on the floor or foot
stool, and the thigh should rest horizontal
" upon the seat. 1t is very injurious to al
low the lower part of the leg to hang un-
supported. 4. The breadth or depth of the
seat should be such that nearly the whole OF
the thigh may be supported, and the real
edge should be about three-quarters OF an
inch lower than the front edge. ). Every
seat should be supplied with a back, which,
under all circumstances, should support the
lions, and permit an inclination backward
above. Straight backs, whether perpendic-
ular or inclined, are Objectionable. Backs
should be universally attached to benches In
schools, churches, and manufactures. g
The space between the back and the inner
edge of the table, in writing or working,
must, as a rule, be so narrow that the loins
need not be withdrawn from the back and
the order to sit back Is one of the most
important to the child whilst writing, if the
1rSt ana NTH requirements are met. 1.
The table for writing must have sufficient
breadth, and inclination of | to Z, to afford
the correct angle of sight. Round tables
are very Objectionable. 8. The correct po-
sition in writing, according to the preceding,
is controlled by the following rules: (o) The
position of the upper part of the body should
be erect, with its support in the spinal
column, which rests at the loins upon the
back Of the seat, and in no case should the
body be supported by the elbows resting
upon the table Oh the upper part of the
body should be placed square in front of the
table, SO that a line joining the two shout
ders may be parallel to the edge Gel both
fore-arms should rest upon the table nearly
to the elbows, and should not be far from
the body, SO that the upper portions of the
arms may be nearly perpendicular; if but
one elbow rests upon the table, and the
shoulders are not in a line parallel to the
cd pe of the table the nOSitiOn - q crookad