Mankind in the MakingWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Philosophy
Mankind in the Making
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Social problems; Social sciences
Just what this handicap amounts to, so far as it works out in physical
consequences, is to be gauged by certain almost classical figures, which
I have here ventured to present again in graphic form. These figures
do not present our total failure, they merely show how far the less
fortunate section of the community falls short of the more fortunate.
They are taken from Clifford Allbutt’s _System of Medicine_ (art.
“Hygiene of Youth,” Dr. Clement Dukes). 15,564 boys and young men were
measured and weighed to get these figures. The black columns indicate
the weight (+9 lbs. of clothes) and height respectively of youths of the
town artisan population, for the various ages from ten to twenty-five
indicated at the heads of the columns. The white additions to these
columns indicate the additional weight and height of the more favoured
classes at the same ages. Public school-boys, naval and military cadets,
medical and university students, were taken to represent the more
favoured classes. It will be noted that while the growth in height of
the lower class boy falls short from the very earliest years, the strain
of the adolescent period tells upon his weight, and no doubt upon his
general stamina, most conspicuously. These figures, it must be borne in
mind, deal with the living members of each class at the ages given. The
mortality, however, in the black or lower class is probably far higher
than in the upper class year by year, and if this could be allowed for
it would greatly increase the apparent failure of the lower class.
And these matters of height and weight are only coarse material
deficiencies. They serve to suggest, but they do not serve to gauge, the
far graver and sadder loss, the invisible and immeasurable loss through
mental and moral qualities undeveloped, through activities warped and
crippled and vitality and courage lowered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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