It has frequently been held that a child's right-handedness arises from the nurse's or mother's constant method of carrying it, the child's hand which is left free being more exercised, and so becoming stronger.

This theory is ambiguous as regards both mother and child.

The mother, if right-handed, would carry the child on the left arm, in order to work with the right arm.

This I find an invariable tendency with myself and with nurses and mothers whom I have observed.

But this would leave the child's left arm free, and so a right-handed mother would be found with a left-handed child! Again, if the mother or nurse be left-handed, the child would tend to be right-handed.