LARGER BABIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14888, 13 January 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

LARGER BABIES.

DOCTOR SAYS THE RACE IS GROW

ING TALLER,

WHY?

Is a race of giants- growing tip in Lon don?

This would certainly seem to be the case in the Marylebone district, since the height and weight of newly-born children have increased in an astonishing degree during the last few years. This fact was mentioned by Dr. Ezekiel Boyd, of Seymour Place, in the Marylebone Police Court recently, when- he said that children born during the last two years were undoubtedly heavier and longer than hitherto.

Dr. Bovd made some startling disclosures about the increasing stature of the race.

"Of course there is no doubt that wo are becoming a taller nation than we used to be," he said, "but the extraordinary increase in the size and weight of babies in this district is out of all proportion to our gradual increase of staturo, and it has astonished me for some time.

" An average newly-born infant used to weigh 6.81b, but I am now accustomed to babies weighing Bglb, which is about the average for the last two years, the period during which I have noticed this strange phenomenon. Babies of 101b or 121b, or almost double the old average weight, are not unusual.

" I am only speaking of Marylebone, where my practice lies, and I think these big babies are chiefly to be found among the middle classes." s

Dr. Boyd went or. to explain why we shall ultimately become a race of giants.

" These big babies should grow up into big men and women, if they are properly nourished, because modern wheaten flour allows people to grow larger than they used to be when it was ground under millstones.

"I believe that flour is the- secret of our increasing growth, because a considerable quantity of lime used to become mixed with the mill-ground flour from the constant wearing away of the great millstones.

" The lengthening of tho bones of a growing person ceases when tho ends become ossified, which generally occurs between the ages of 18 and 22 years. Now, in years gone by, I believe we never grew to our fullest possible height, because the abimchv o of lime in our staple food— flour —brought about this ossification sooner than would have been the case otherwise. " Herein lies the great secret of the increased stature which has been noticeable among all civilised races during the last 30 years.

" I don't think that this can have anything to do with the big babies," Dr. Boyd concluded, "and I cannot understand it in the least, unless the improving condition of the middle-class mother accounts for it."