, 1877-06-23
scHooL-RooM POISONING.

DIR. McSherry, of Baltimore,
writes to the Sanitm'ian In every
one of our cities, and very largely
throughout the country, the local
rulers outherod Herod in the slau-
ghter of the innocents. There is no
bloodshed, indeed, in the beginning
but there is towards the end, in the
various forms of hemorrhage. The
evils in the school-room (often un-
Justly ascribed to the teachers) tend
to the extinguishment of families.
What else can be expected when
young children are imprisoned for
long and weary hours, day after day
and year after year, in close and sti-
fling schoo]-rooms, where the air is
habitually so foul as to be exceed
ingly offensive to any one entering
from without, though unnoticed by
those within, who are breathing it
over and over again? A lady who
is fond of plants and flowers, and
has but small space for cultivating
them, say in window gardening,
finds that her favorites require a
goodly quantity of sun and air to
thrive, which she seeks for them ac-
cordingly, while she sends those
mere tender plants, her little child
rem. to horrid school whence
the rays of the sun are excluded,
while the artificial heat, often load
ed itself with coal gas or carbonic
oxide, is made mephitic with car
bonjc acid from many breaths, and
the exhalations that arise from a
miscellaneous crowd of helpless and
innocent little prisoners.
This is not matter of comfort or
discomfort, but more nesrly mat
ter of life or death with the child
ren. What is the good of all the
learning, such as it is, acquired in
the schoolroom and by gaslight at
home, to young girl who has "a
spinal curvature, and perpetual
headache, and weak chest. an in
digestion, and, in short, universal
delicacy in every part Of her organ
ism? How is she prepared for the
wear and tear of ife-duties, and
what kind of a help-meet is she
going to make There are hun
dreds of such, as you know, in every
large community. Modern society
is very exacting, and parents take
great pride in their children having
a smattering of all learning, quite
forgetful that this, like other posses
sions may be bought at too great
price.
There are remedies for lie evil,
which it would devolve upon you
and your coadjutors to urge stead
fastly, in season and out Of season
if working for the public good can
ever be out of season. Among rene
dies, let it be urged that there be
fewer hours at school, and fewer
studies at any one time. Forther-
more, let scholars never sit over one
hour without change of position and
of air. In the Medical Department
of the University of Maryland, there
is a recess ofsome five minutes, and
a change of room for the students,
at the end of each lecture, and the
room vacated IS then properly aired.
The advantage of this is strikingly
apparent. The mental tension is
relieved, the cramped limbs are
stretched, and good inspirations of
fresh air are taken. These brief in
termissions are invaluable to the
students, being equally refreshing
to mind and body. Now, if these
young men find these cherges SO ad-
vantageous, how much more so
would growing children find item!
1t is utterly impossible for the ma
jorety of children to sit still (which
is unnatural for them) and to study
for several consecutive hours. The
weary mind will wander off to some
happier place; or it will be occupied
only with the sufferings of cold feet
and heated head.
Pray urge these changes inter
ala, for the benefit of the rising
generation. Let the school-room be
cleared every hour, and thoroughly
ventilated while the children play
for a few minutes in the open air
in good weather, or under shelter
while it rains. The shelter shold
be provided no matter. what the
cost. Life and learning are Of little
worth without health, but learning
and health would botn be promoted.
by these measures.