BONNIE WAR BABIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20418, 26 May 1928, Page 14

BONNIE WAR BABIES.

AN EXCELLENT PHYSIQUE. The average London boy of 10 years of age is now half an inch taller and 3|lb heavier than the 10-year-old boy in 1908. This fact is revealed in the report of Dr E. N. Kay Menzies, medioa. officer of health for London. Remarkable mental and physical development, on the part of the average British child during the last 20 years arcshown in the report. Each year produces brighter and bigger children School examiners are obliged to set harder questions every term. “This is a golden age for children,” said a medical officer of health of the London County Council recently. “ The present generation of children are mainly r war babies.’ born under the worst possible conditions, when food was scarce and mothers often lived under the constant terror of air raids. “It was predicted at the time that these war babies would grow up weaklings. As this has proved unfounded, we are forced to the conclusion that the health of a child does not depend so much upon the health of the parents and the conditions under which it is bon; as upon its treatment after birth. “It is sate to say that here is not a single starving child in Lt n.ion to-day. “ During the last i 4 years 20 per cent, more children have left school with good teeth. Rickets, known abroad as * the English disease,’ has almost disappeared. The fashion of bobbing hair has done much to promote cleanliness in girls’ schools. I believe that in another 20 yearschildren will be even bigger and more intelligent. Compared to the children of 20 years ago, they will, be superchildreu."