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THE INQUIRY into the state of refraction of an "advanced community" in the Deccan, which is a fairly homogeneous group, was undertaken under the auspices of the Indian Council of Medical Research. The ages of the first group of subjects were between 6 and 12 years. The data are based on the examination of a sample of 590 unselected school children, which may be taken to represent the refractive state of the community before important environmental factors came into operation. In the same investigation, the heights, weights and blood pictures of the children, whenever possible, were recorded.
The frequency curve plotted for this series shows the mean refraction to be + 1.0 D., the mode + 1.25 D. and the standard deviation + 1.0 D. The curve for variation of refraction according to age indicates a definite downward trend, the average refraction at the age of 7 years being + 1.5 D., whereas at