Growth of Guernsey recruits
12th November 2026From The British Medical Journal, December 28, 1907.
'In the possession of this organization, Dr Aikman thinks, lies "the secret of the prominence which Guernsey men attain in the race of nationalities wherever they have the opportunity.”'
In an address introductory to the lecture session 1907-8 of the Guille-Allès Library, Guernsey, Dr John Aikman¹ took for his subject some aspects of growth. After discussing the subject fully from the biological point of view, he illustrated his theme by some interesting remarks on the growth of the recruits of the Guernsey militia, described by Colonel Percy Groves as one of the oldest military organisations of the world. In the possession of this organization, Dr Aikman thinks, lies "the secret of the prominence which Guernsey men attain in the race of nationalities wherever they have the opportunity.”
He gives the results of the twenty days’ training of the recruits of the Guernsey militia during the past autumn. In the case of the recruits of the Royal Guernsey Artillery and Engineers, the average gain in height was 0.315 in.; in those of the 1st Infantry Regiment, it was 0.33125 in., and in those of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, which is recruited from the country districts, it was 0.4345 in. Dr Aikman says the picked men of the Artillery and Engineers are the smartest to begin with, and they gain least in point of height; the countryman gains 0.6279 in., while the gunner gains only 0.574 in., and the 1st Infantry Regiment 0.4342 in. When we remember that 2 in. is a good amount of flexibility for the chest, this average gain of half an inch must favour the growth both of body and mind. The erect posture is responsible for most of the increase in height; it is not all growth, though it favours it. It is the first step towards the greater flexibility of the chest, which, in turn, is followed by an increase in the aeration of the blood. The other figures tell us that these red blood cells must attain some maturity in their better condition before they have their fullest power to influence growth. Hence it is that the gunners, who were, at first, best in their erect posture and had, from their smartness, the greatest flexibility of chest, were the more ready to put on weight – the average gain among them reached the large figure of 2.792 lb. a man during their twenty days. The 1st Infantry Regiment followed with the creditable figure of 2.3357 lb., while becoming accustomed to carry more oxygen. Next year, says Dr Aikman, these country recruits should show a larger increase in weight; they are on the way to form better members of the community.
¹Deep regret is felt in Guernsey at the recent death of Dr John Aikman, Staff Surgeon-Colonel to the Lieutenant-Governor of the island, principal medical officer to the Royal Guernsey Militia, and past president of the Guernsey and Alderney Division of the British Medical Association. Dr Aikman was born in Edinburgh in 1850; his father was the late Rev. Dr. Logan Aikman, After studying medicine in the University of Glasgow he graduated MB and CM with honours in 1871, and proceeded MD three years later. Having held house appointments at the Glasgow Maternity Hospital and the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, he served for a short time as assistant medical officer to the Metropolitan Asylums Board; he then went to Guernsey, where he practised for more than 40 years. For some time he was surgeon to St Peter Port Hospital, and he was surgeon to the Victoria Cottage Hospital, Guernsey, at the time of his death. Dr Aikman was devoted to his profession and to his patients, and was held in the highest regard thoughout the island. While shunning public life he had a great capacity for friendship, with a sympathetic charm of character. Much of his leisure was devoted to literature, which was his principal recreation; his published essays on a variety of general topics were much appreciated by his large circle of friends. The funeral, which was of a semi-military character, was attended by the Lieutenant-Governor and many representatives of the military and civil sections of the community. BMJ 2 March, 1918