Volume 2

A selection of curious articles from the Gentleman's Magazine / [By John Walker].

Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A selection of curious articles from the Gentleman's Magazine / [By John Walker]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    538/562 (page 520)
    In the year 1744-5, Dr. Mead laid before the .Society an account of a gigantic boy of two years old, at Willingham, in Cambridgeshire. As the story may not be fresh in every one’s memory, I shall compare his dimensions with those of voting Everitt, premising this one observation, that the Wi llingham lad, whose name was Hall, allowing for his years, was, in this respect, less of a prodigy than the Enfield boy : though, as Mr. Dawkes, the surgeon, who described him, remarks, “ he past through the four stages of life in less than six years, being five years and ten months old at his death, and only 4 feet six inches high. feet, inches. IIali,, round the wrist, - 6 thickness of thigh, - 1 2f waist, ---- = ] 4^ Mr. Sherwen annexed the dimensions of a fine lusty boy, who is upwards of 7 years old. % Dimensions of Tho. Everitt, 9 months and 2 weeks old. The other Boy. Girth round his wrist, inches. n - inches. 4| Above the elbow, H - 61 Leg near the ancle, n - - 61 Calf of the leg, 12 — 9 Round the thigh, 18 am - 12| Round the small of the back , 24 - • 22 Round under the arm-pits, and across the breast, on* ~ ~ •it 20 Length from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, 3 feet, ]£. Mr. Sherwen adds, he should have been glad to have given the solid contents of animal substance in pounds avoir- dupois : but this was not possible, as the mother is possessed with the vulgar prejudice against weighing children*. He could therefore only say, that, when she exposes his legs, thighs, and broad back to view, it is impossible to be im- pressed with any other idea than that of seeing a young * His Weight was guested at nine stone.