' '■/■■■■ ^?kt''->:'^^^^'''''r^i^^i'j^^ Class LB ^4^5 Rnnk .Sf c>*^| S^ ■ ■•■//■•I, s; , ■ ; - '7 '■■ ■;•■.' i-i-?vv ,.;^ ■:>■,.■:'-.,■ ..^.f'-v <.•.;•>-;■■;'./■■!,■ ■,''' J .,. .'-t' ..•^v,.■ ; ; ?;. , \,.-.. \^i..,V. '• 4.'iP.f.. -^^.NV- V.aV. ■."'.;■ .' .-f i V-i-- !•-* Vt- - '^ ,--«"i> ' f " :,'-.-/''■., V'-;-.: ■■'^,J\'''i ■ ■>; Vj tv /•"-->-' ^i-c /.'•■'••iim UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE RUPERT BLUE, Surgeon General LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDREN SPIROMETER TESTS OF 1,618 WHITE SCHOOL CHILDREN (751 BOYS, 867 GIRLS) IN THE CITY OF X BY C. W. STILES Professor of Zoology AND FLOYD GRAVES Acting Assistant Surgeon, United States Public Health Service REPRINT No. 306 FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS OCTOBEB 15, 1915 /if-'^Uv ^"z WASHmGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1915 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAT BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE "WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 5 CENTS PER COPY V D. of Do DFG 22 1915 vo c/W^ ^UNG CAPACITY OF CHILDREN. r\ SPIROMETER TESTS OF 1,618 WHITE SCHOOL CHILDREN (751 BOYS, 867 GIRLS) IN THE ^ CITY OF X.I ^_ "- By C. W. Stiles, Professor of Zoology, and Floyd Graves, Acting Assistant Surgeon, United States ■^ Public Health. Service. 1^ Of the white school children of the city of X, dry-spirometer tests (for lung capacity or ''vital capacity") are available for 1,618 pupils (751 boys, 867 girls) from 6 to 17.75 years old, inclusive. Each child was given three trials, and the highest record was taken for final summary. The tabulations were made by sex, by quarter years that are then summarized by total years, and by sanitary condi- tions of the home as respects presence of a privy (Group P) , presence of sewer connection but no privy (Group S), and homes of unknown sanitation (Group U). White Boys. Of 751 white boys for whom the results of spirometer tests are comparable, 583 belong to Group S, 110 to Group P, and 58 to Group U. Average spirometer tests for total year periods. — ^There is an annual average increase in the lung capacity from 6 years to 17 years, and this increase becomes especially marked from 14 to 16 years. The conditions are shown on Chart 1. Of the 12 total year periods from 6 to 17, inclusive (chart 2), the boys of group S excelled those of group P in 8 periods, and in 4 periods the boys of group P excelled those of group S. Average for quarter-year periods. — In 23 quarter-year periods group S excelled, in 14 periods group P excelled, and 11 periods could not be compared. In some instances the groups were reduced to very small numbers. • White Girls. Of 867 white girls for whom the results of spirometer tests are comparable, 660 belong to group S, 166 to group P, and 41 to group U. Average spirometer tests for total year periods. — As shown on chart 1, there is an increase in the lung capacity from 6 to 17 years. This increase shows an irregularity at 8 and 1 1 years, but is fairly uniform up to 13 years. From 14 to 17 years there is a marked decrease of the increase. In 7 total year periods group S distinctly excelled group P, in 5 total year periods group P excelled group S, but in 2 of these periods the excess in favor of P was slight. 1 For other articles on the school children of the city of X, see Public Health Reports as follows: Difficul- ties in obtaining ages, v. 30 (5), Jan. 29, pp. 310-311; Zooparasitic Infections, v. 30 (27), July 2, 1915, pp. 1991-2002; School Grades, v. 30 (28), 1915, pp. 2060-2067; Tobacco and snuff, v. 30 (40), Oct. 1, 1915, pp. 2926-2928; Heights and Weights, v. 30 (41), Oct. 8, 1915, pp. 2990-3003. Reprint from the Public Health Reports, vol. 30, No. 42, Oct. 15, 1915. 13287°— 15 Q LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDREN. Table 1. — Average, minimum, and maximum lung capacity {vital capacity), as measured in cubic centimeters with dry spirometer, of 751 white hoys and 867 girls 6 to 17.75 years old, inclusive, summarized in total year periods and sanitary groups. [P=childreii from homes provided with a privy; S= children from homes with sewer connection but with- out a privy; U=home sanitation unknown; T= total of P, S, and U.] Spirometer in cubic centimeters. Age. 751 boys. 867 girls.' Number of pupils. Average. Mini- mum. Maxi- mum. Number of pupils. Average. Mini- mum. Maxi- mum. 26 5 1 1,015.39 1,232.00 1,120.00 640 800 1,120 1,520 1,440 1,120 30 5 1 849.33 896. 00 800.00 400 800 800 1,360 1,120 6 years, U 800 T 32 1,052.50 640 1,520 36 854.44 400 1,360 57 14 4 1,226.32 1,137.14 1,180.00 720 640 1,120 1,760 1,600 1,360 41 15 6 1,075.12 1,120.00 1,173.33 640 720 1,040 1,760 7 years, P 1,520 1,360 T 75 1,207.20 640 1,760 62 1,095.48 640 1,760 8 years, S . 64 14 2 1,390.63 1,205.71 1,320.00 640 640 1,280 2,000 1,680 1,360 46 15 2 1,208.70 1,056.00 1,360.00 800 640 1,040 1,680 1,520 8 years, U 1,680 T 80 1,356.50 640 2,000 63 1,177.14 640 1,680 75 13 5 1,461.33 1,415.38 . 1,344.00 720 1,040 800 2,240 2,000 1,840 56 21 6 1,281.42 1,436.19 1,280.00 800 800 1,040 2,080 9 years, P 1,920 9 years, U 1,760 T 93 1,448.60 720 2,240 83 1,320.48 800 2,080 10 years, S . 77 12 9 1,697.66 1,486.67 1,582.22 640 800 1,040 2,400 1,920 2,000 72 20 2 1,508.89 1,444.00 1,520.00 880 1,040 1,440 2,400 10 years, P 1,920 10 years, U 1,600 T 98 1,661.22 640 2,400 94 1,495.32 880 2,400 56 21 5 1,833.21 1,672.38 1,808.00 1,200 1,040 1,360 3,040 2,480 2,080 65 17 3 1,636.91 1,487.05 1,786.67 1,040 960 1,440 2,320 11 years, P 2,320 11 years, U 2,240 T 82 1,789.27 1,040 3,040 85 1,612.23 960 2,320 12years,S '. 53 11 7 2,052.83 1,905.45 2,217.14 1,440 1,360 1,440 2,880 2,720 3,760 59 16 5 1,865.76 1,875.00 2,000.00 1,200 1,280 1,760 2,960 12 years, P 2,480 12 years, U 2,400 T 71 2,046.20 1,360 3,760 80 1,876.00 1,200 2,960 13 years, S 65 8 3 2,144.73 2,410.00 ■ 2,933.33 1,600 1,840 2,160 3,520' 3,200 3,520 74 18 2 2,151.35 2,013.33 2,040.00 1,440 1,280 2,000 3,040 13 years, P . . 2,800 13 years, U 2,080 T 66 2,253.63 1,600 3,520 94 2,122.55 1,280 3,040 14 years, S 36 4 9 2,500.00 2, 775. 00 2, 484. 44 1,520 1,760 1,820 3,520 4,320 3,680 68 20 5 2,181.47 2,188.00 3,024.00 800 1,440 1,360 3,200 14 years, P 2,640 14 years, U 3,040 T 49 2,520.41 1,520 4,320 93 2,228.17 800 3,200 15 years, S 41 4 10 2,926.83 2,720.00 2,839.00 1,840 2,000 1,920 3,840 3,440 4,160 58 13 3 2,306.21 2,172.31 2,426.67 1,360 1,280 2,240 3,240 15 years, P 2,800 15 years, U 2,560 T 55 2,895.81 1,840 4,160 74 2,287.57 1,280 3,240 16 years, S 30 2 1 3,334.67 2,880.00 2,000.00 1,840 2,880 2,000 4,880 2,880 2,000 60 5 5 2, 422. 67 2,288.00 2,032.00 1,520 1,760 1,600 3,200 16 years, P. 2,560 16 years, U 2,320 T 33 3,266.66 1,840 4,880 70 2,385.14 1,520 3,200 17 years, S 13 2 2 3,353.85 3, 720. 00 4,240.00 2,240 3,440 4,000 4,880 4,000 4,480 31 1 1 2,400.00 2,320.00 3,200.00 1,760 2,320 3,200 3,360 17 years, P 2,320 17 years, U 3,200 T 17 3,501.18 2,240 4,880 33 2,421.82 1,760 3,360 LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDEEN, AGE-b 7 8 <} lO II 12 (3 14 IS li IT 1 C.c. 3500 3400 3500 3200 3100 3000 Z900 2800 2700 Z6oo 2500 / / / / / ./ / / / V 2400 2500 2200 2100 2000 /goo /800 (700 /600 1500 1400 1300 /200 1100 looo cjoo 800 / -•? / / A / ^1 yi / Vv ' ^ 7 / // 7 A / , y / / 1 / /o 1 f /' 'J /V / Y >-/ / / ^ / / A u 1 UN TED STATl :s pu 3LIC lEAL' 'HSE RVICl 1 1 h Chart 1. — Average Itmg capacity, measured in c. c. with dry spirometer, of 751 white boys (J) and 867 white girls ($), summarized in total year periods. LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDRBlSr. Chart 2. — Average lung capacity, measured in c. c. with dry , spirometer of 583 white boys of Group S and 110 of Group P. LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDREN. Average for quarter-year periods. — In 23 quarter-year periods group S excels, in 17 group P excels, and in 8 periods no comparison could be made. In some periods the groups contain few pupils. Comparison of Boys and Girls. If chart 1 be studied, the fact becomes evident that the average lung capacity, as measured by a dry spirometer, averages about 100 to 200 cubic centimeters higher in boys than in girls from 6 to 13 years old, inclusive. At 14 years old a very greatly increased Age — 6 7 8 Q lo 1 1 12. is I4 15- i6 17 1 C.C. 2400 Z300 2200 2100 2000 (900 (800 1700 iboo ISoo 1400 1300 1200 1100 (000 900 goo y?,"~~ / /? ^ ? 9/ /-' l^ y, -'9 1 / T > ,s / / ( // / p ,,/ 7 >,— ^i ^'v // ^A \/h ? ^/ 7 r Ul flTED STAl ESPT rsLic HEAJ lTHS SRVIC E. J f r ^h Chart 3. — Average lung capacity, measured in c. c. with dry spirom- eter, of 660 white girls of Group S and 116 of Group P. difference in lung capacity becomes evident in favor of the boys, and this difference increases from 14 to 17 years, inclusive; at 17 years the difference between the boys and girls is very marked (nearly 1,100 cubic centimeters). Spirometer Tests in Intestinal Infections. Necator. — In 22 cases (15 boys, 7 girls) pupils showing hookworm infections were lower in lung capacity than the average for their respective groups, and in 31 cases (24 boys, 7 girls) they were above the average. 8 LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDEEN. Ascaris. — In 15 cases (11 boys, 4 girls) pupils showing Ascaris infection were lower than the average for their respective groups, and in 23 cases (21 boys, 2 girls) they were above the average. Trichuris. — In 7 cases (6 boys, 1 girl) pupils showing infection with whip worms were lower than the average of their respective groups, and in 1 case (a boy) the pupil was above the average. Lamblia. — In 34 cases (22 boys, 12 girls) pupils showing infection with Lamhlia were lower than the average of their respective groups, and in 39 cases (32 boys, 7 girls) they were above the average. Endamseha coli. — In 24 cases (18 boys, 6 girls) pupils showing infection with E. coli were lower than the average of their respective groups, and in 27 cases (18 boys, 9 girls) they were higher than the average. Summary and Conclusion. From 6 to 13 years old, inclusive, the white boys of the city of X average from 100 to 200 cubic centimeters greater lung capacity (as measured by the dry spirometer) than the girls. From 14 to 17 years the boys have progressively from about 300 to about 1,100 cubic centimeters greater lung capacity than the girls. Thus the increase in high-school age (athletic age) in the boys is out of aU proportion to the increase in primary and grammar (graded) school age. From 6 to 13 years old, inclusive, the yearly increase in the lung capacity of the girls of the city of X is very similar to that of the boys, but at 14 there develops a distinct decrease of the increase, and from 14 to 17 years, inclusive, the annual increase averages distinctly less than for the years 6 to 13. The decrease of the increase at 14 years in the girls foUows im- mediately upon the average age of beginning menstruation (13.2 years), and it corresponds with the decrease of the increase in height (sitting and standing) and weight. There is a slight irregularity of the increase curve at 11 in both boys and girls, corresponding- to the irregularity found for the same year in the curves for height (sitting and standing) and weight in the boys and for sitting height in the girls. In the case of both the boys and the girls, children from homes provided with, better sanitation (group S) have a tendency (total, 15 to 9; boys 8 to 4, girls 7 to 5; estimated in year groups) to greater lung capacity than the children from homes with poorer sanitation (group P; total, 9 to 15; boys 4 to 8, girls 5 to 7). In cases of intestinal infection it was not evident that hookworms, Ascaris, Lamblia, or Endamseha coli had any noticeable effect upon the spirometer tests. While pupils with whipworm infections showed a preponderance of tests lower than the average, the number of cases is so small that conclusions are of doubtful value. o Makers Syracuse, N. Y. PAT. JAN. 21, 1908