Walking with a Child.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 68

Walking with a Child.

A pliy-sician, discussing some of the ills ' from wh'ch children suffer, said: "I am of tho opinion that many of the deformities and weaknesses of children are caused by the dreadful habit that some grown people havo of taking smaill children out to walk ' and dragging them along at a fast pace. < "Only a few days ago I saw a man taking < a child, not over four years old. along the street. He was holding tho little one's hand, and walked at his usual gait. Tho child jumped, ran, and stumbled along-, ' frequently losing its feet, and being brought ' up to tho perpendicular by a jerk of the L ' aim. "I had a little curiosity to keep track of • them, and when the man stopped, as he ] shortly did. at a store, I stopped in and { * spoke to the child. Her father was busy, 1 and paid no attention to me. < "Tho child' 3 temperature was at fever J heat, and every nerve- and fibre of the littlo * body was quivering from the overstraining of the muscles. If that child doesn't have * an attack of rickets, or some kindred) * trouble, I shall be very seriously mistaken ( in my <stimato of ths injury it received in l that dreadful dragging over a rough walk. 3 "Adults are, as 9 rule, altogether too carolos.s about matters of this kind. They t seem not to take into consideration the * fact that a child's length of step is rcla- T tively so much shorter than their own. B "I believe that many cases of Tickets aro brought on by this habit of piilling children c by the arms. It necessarily is a strain on f the spine, and must bo productive of iui- E pleasant if net dangerous results. I ''Children should never ha\© their arms stretched above their heads. It is some- x times difficult to know just bow to manage in leading them, but this point should ai- * ways bo kept in mind, and no unnecessaiy * pulling niusi; ever be indulged in."—Ameri- I r can paper. s