Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-21

air or with open windows.
Was this child a strong, vigorous in
FAINT at BIRTH.
This formality over, mothers pro-
treasures look attractive. A dimple
was counted a valuable asset Deep
violet eyes and long, curling lashes
were almost equal to a prize in hand.
There was, much ironing Of dainty
frocks and curling of silken hair. But
while this was going on among exhib-
itors the judges were going through
an entirely different sort Of prepare
ton. These judges were physicians
on whom the superintendent and her
committee had impressed the idea that
looks were important only as indica-
tons OF health. They were also sup
piled with a standard of babyhood or
baby health which read as follows:
/ Average weight, height, and circum-
ference of head and chest Of boys is
given below. Girls average one pound
less, and are Of the same height
At Birth-Weight, ~ pounds
height, 201a inches; chest, 1872 inch
es; head, IA inches.
One Year-Weight, q pounds
height, 29 inches; chest, IS inches
head, Is inches.
Two Years-weight. 261A pounds
height, 323t inches; chest, 10 inches
head, 10 inches.
Three HEAVYWEIGHT, 81 pounds
height, IS inches; chest, 20 inches
head, 1914 inches.
Central incisor teeth appear abou
the seventh month; lateral incisor:
from eighth to tenth month; anterior
molars, twelfth to eighteenth month
eye and stomach, fourteenth TO TWEEN
tieth month; posterior molars, eigh
teenth to thirty sixth month
Multiply width OF head by 100 AM
divide by length TO get cephalic index
When index is IS to so, the child i
mesocephslic; so to So cephalic head
are preferable Length measurement
sohuld be from occipital protuberanc
TO prominent part of brow.
The anterior fontanelle should no
be bullying; rather, slightly depressed
1t should Ii completely closed betwee
the fifteenth and twentieth months.
The bony skeleton should be espt
cially examined for ricketts,.
The child should first attempt t
sit up at about the sixteenth week. b
fairly successful about the forfeit
week. and firmly seated at the end c
the tenth or eleventh month.
He should attempt to stand abor
the thirty-eighth week and be success
full at the eleventh or twelfth month
He should walk unsupported at tn
fourteenth or fifteenth month: &c
tainly not later than the eighteent
month. Frecocity in walking is not d.
8 sirable.
q The skin should be pink. flesh firm
lips red, breath sweet. tongue cleal
Z He should breathe through the nos
3 only, and should not be fretful H
Z should not be restlessly active nc
d disinclined to play.
When the contest opened. the usu;
q half-hearted crowd followed the MOI
a iuNCl FSlSu par -ltS the parents,
y more properly speaking the mother
a to the scene Of judgment But som
q thing was wrong There was no a
8 ray of smiling mothers and babies Ii
Il tening to fulsome compliments. Thel
q were no fatherly judges patting bah
y heads and chucking dimpled chin
& There was no balloting for the prett
q est and sweetest. Instead thera We
Il a stern. uncompromising judging
81 babies on physical points-points thu
i counted just as they did in horse
y cattle and hogs.
The news spread to the live stoc
3 section. Men who were gloating ov,
s blue ribbons and cash prizes won /
q their choice stock stopped talkir
Il crops. the breeding of cattle and DO
q tics TO find how the Iowa babies wei
K coming out under the examination
z medical authorities. Some Of the.
81 men watched the proceedings curiou
n ly, some anxiously and some angril
& 1t was all very well to have your bah