New-York tribune., 1882-08-13
NO HEALTHY CHILDREN.
nr. Eieaardson in Eroser,s llaaa.iae.


said in my address at the Health Congress at
Brighton what was quite true that had never IN
my lie seen child so healthy that 1t had not IN II
some actual latent constitutional disease.
Touching the subject now Ill hand, { is equally true
to say that 1t is all but impossible to find in the
board schools of our large towns any sembiance,
rIiticalIy viewed, of health. Constitutional
talnts, which under favorable circumstances
NAV often be concealed, and which
NAV or may not be apparent, are there
Various conditions of disease are there indepen-
IDENTIFY Of fthe tendency from hcrtd,y there OF them
selves, in some lrrogularIty OF Junction. III some
shade Of mental alteration. Inc heId Of tEe dlS-
case winch is presented in some Of the schools
situated in crowded localities Is indeed sight at
once for anxiety and pity. 10 the eye oi a physl-
can who. like myself, has spent many years III
hospital practice, It TELLS a story which Is ALSO
lately painful, If he permits the lest to be calcu-
lated out OF his mind at elsnle hours; H. mat is
to SAY, he compares what ne mas witnessed III ms
survey with what he has learned from long OBJ
servatlOn OF the meaning OF the pnenumcna IN the
history of life 1t is not necessary iO him 20 strip
the children percuss and sound the q est, examine
the suine or practise any of those refined arts OF
diagnosis with winch he IS familiar lie reads from
the Indications of temperament OF expression OF
counenance, OF color OF skin OF position OF llmb OF
build of body Of gait, Oi voice. sn!hclent outward
manifestation to discern what IS the true physical
state what is the stamp ana extent OF disease,
what is the vital Vane OF the lives generally that
are before him Tell the phy stefan those lives are
to be valued for some monetary purpose as they
stand and as they aIe TO go on acofdlnS 10 inc
present system, and he Will give III brlci time an
estimate of value which the keenest man OF busl-
IN ght readily accept ana act upon. Foremost
among the evils which are thus presented ale those
common conditions of disease known as anHmIa
and cacheXa. strictly these are not diseases like
diabetes, bronchitis or defined affections running q
regular course. but they states OF diseased form
which by Uher presence indicate faulty nutrition
al the period of lie when good nutrition IS most re-
uureG, ana which cannot long 90 on without in
snrng the construction OF an impaired bodl
ORGANIZATION. The blood is not being duly
oxygemated. and food, therefore, though it be even
fair in quality or quantity Is not properly applied
The nervous system Is Imperfcctlv built up; the
skeleton IS mperiectly built up; the muscular sys-
TEN j. impcrfectly built up and sustained. How
can the Improvement which = called scholarship
be turned to fitting account IN such recipients OF It
! watched recently the afternoon working OF q
largo class of scholars, and counted one third of
them Under the most decisive influence 0t these
conditions of disease. OF the affected there would
not be, IN the ordinary averaging OF life. twenty
years of existence under the that was beng
followed. The one saving clause in their case was
development by physical training, and that WAS
withheld. The one destroying clause in their case
was Over-mcutal work without physical training,
and that was assiduouSly and regularly supplied.
With or without the anTmia and cacbeAia there is
the constitutional disease struna or scrolula, pre-.
seutrt in these classes. The instances OF this kind
in varying degrees of intensity most numerous.
This condition again is NAL or bad nutrition. IT,,
a much as caclcxia or anGnia, with which it is 50
often allied is iOsered by the epreyailng system of
mental pressuIe With these conditions before the
eve there is 10 be seen also here and there IN the
classes OF both but of the grls especially tie
suecimcn of the phtisical or c0nsdInptlye subject.
In a class of fifty | pick out three thus doomed II
their circumstances be not changed-6 per cent,
certainly a moderate proportion. The disease has
not positively developed. but tho probability OF MS
DEVELOPMENT Is all but certain, unless II be checked
bv the 'One only remedial or preventive netuod-
freedom from nervous exhaustion. combined win
physical exercise III open breathing space Such
preventiyes are not supplied, but undue nervous
exhaustion aud confinement are Doth suppIied, anu
50 the fatal disease is systematically famed from
atency INTO activity. Spinal deformiiy and rregu-
lar construction OF the skeleton is another condi-
ton Of disease. actual disease readily detachable
in these classes.