During the nineteenth century in Britain good deportment was considered important. At that time the disease known as rickets caused a great many children, particularly those who were poorly nourished, to grow with distortion to the spine and legs. Deportment or correction boards were in widespread use in well-to-do families. To encourage an upright posture the flat centre of the board was placed across the small of the back and the child's elbows tucked behind the ends of the board.