CHAPTER III THE RATE OF GROWTH

• The values given in this table are not in precise accord with those of the Table on p. 63. The latter represent Quetelet〙s results arrived at in 1835; the former are the means of his determinations in 1835〓40.

The acceleration-curve for man〙s weight (Fig. 5), whether we draw it from Quetelet〙s data, or from the British, American and other statistics of later writers, is on the whole similar to that which we deduce from the statistics of these latter writers in regard to height or stature; that is to say, it is not a curve which continually descends, but it indicates a rate of growth which is subject to important fluctuations at certain epochs of life. We see that it begins at a high level, and falls continuously and rapidly²² {69} during the first two or three years of life. After a slight recovery, it runs nearly level during boyhood from about five to twelve years old; it then rapidly rises, in the 〜growing period〝