Injurious Habits And Postures Of Children

An article of considerable length, 011titled, "The Arrangements for Seating Cliildren in School and at Home, and their Influence upon the Health of the Young, and espeoially upon their Growth and Carriage," which appearrd in the Alonldy tianitanj Journal of Brunswick, is well worthy of perusal, and contains the folio wing general rules, which have the assent of dinerent physicians of high authority: 1. The carïying of chüdren on one side, on the M-ru, by nurses, is improper, as it frequontly occasions defects ia form and growth. 2. Iying on the back is the best position in the earlier years, as it meets all the requirements of liealth. 3. In raising itselt' up, and in learuiug to walk, the ehild should be left to its own streneth, or should at most ouly be assisted as t may liave need. Evory prntMre attempt to walk may occasion curvature of the spine and of the bones of the fect; and all artificial supports, as go-carts, belts, etc, are jurioas. 4. Carrying heavy articles, suchas school satchels, smaller children, etc, on one side, instead of upan the back, should be avoided. Neithev should girls that are not iull grown sew with thrcad that is too lonz, embroider on frames, nor engage in similar oeenpations. 5. 'All the limbs of a child should be uniformly exereised. Negleet of the left arm, or of the left hand. or of the left side in general, will render one side highshouldered. 6. Improper positions, as standing on one foot with the other foot barely in contact with the floor, by whieh the body is constrained into a slovenly, inelined position, occasion curvature of the spine. 7. Co.ats, jaekets and garments of all kinds should be wide enoügh aoross the chestand in the j 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 oonsequence, a continual unequal working of the shoulders back and forth, as well a? upward, ivhieh gives ! rise to bad habits of carriage. Corsots are imder all circumstances atteuded with danger to the development of arirls, as also high heels on shoes. Both are ternaed by Dr. bchreber " theharmful gratification of the feniinine ta3te fordress." 8. Bodily exercise, as skating, swimmiug, and, above all, gymnastics, neutralizes many evil influenoes upon the body, and imparta beauty of forra as well as streugth. Walkinj on stilts, for example, la peculiarly efiective for correcting defccts of carnage resulting from weaknesá of the upper dorsal muscles, as stooping of the shoulders, and turning of the toes inward. The íollowing suggestions relate more particularly to the position in writing, etc., at the desk ia school, or at the work-table at home: 1. The vertical distance of the inner edge of the table from the surfaco of the beneh 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 requirement by soniething 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 thé front or inner edge of the table or desk. 3. The hetght of tlu; seat must be determined by the length of the lower part of the leg of the individual. The feet should rest entirely and comfortably on he floor or footstool, as the thigh should rest horizontally upon the seat. It is very injurious to allow the lower part of the leg to hang unsupported. 4. The breadth or depth of the seat should be svich that nearlv the whole of the thigh may be suppórted, and the rear edgé'should be about three-quarters of an inch lower than the front edge. 5. Every scat should be supplied with a back, which, under all circumstances should support tlie loins, and permit an inclination baekward above. Straight backs, whether perpendicular or inclined, are objectionable. Backs shonld be universally attached to benches in schools, churches and maaufaotories. 6. The space between the back and the inner edge of the table, in writing or workine:, must as a rule, be so narrow that the loins neea not au wnmuawn irom the back; and the order to "sit back" is one of the most important to the child whilst writing, if the flrst and iifth requirements are met. 7. The table for writing must have sufficient breadth, and inclination of 1 to 7, to aftbrd the correct angleof sight. Round tables are very objectionable. 8. The correct position in writing, according to the preceding, is controlled by the follovving rules: (a) The position of the upper part of the body should be erect, with its support in the spinal column, which rcsts at the loins upon the back of the seat, and in lio case should the bodv be supported by the elbows resting upon the table; (b) the upper part of the body sliouklbe placed square in front of the table, so that a line joining the two shoulders may be parallel tothe edge; (c) both forearms should rest upon the table nearly to the elbows, aud should not be far from the body, so that the upper portions of tho arms may be nearly perpendicular; if but one elbow rests upon the table, and the shoulders are not in a line parallel to the edo-e of the table, the position is acrooked one, and may produce lateral curvature of the spine; (') the head should not be bent down, but the neck should be simply gently inclined; (e) the chest shoukl not press igainst tne edge of the table. but shou'd be removed an inch or two i'rom it; (ƒ) the body shoulil not stip fonvard on the seat; if the precautions d, e and ƒ are disregarded, defectivo tlevelopment of the chest will be caused bv the eurving of the back, and near-sightedness by the bending down of the hcad; (9) the writing-paper, as well is all articles of work ü])on the table, should always lie straight in front; (h) the light should fall upon the writing paper from the left.