Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-31
NO HEALTHY CHILDREN.
[Dr. Rlehardgon in Frazer,s Magasine. ]

dr. Richardson in Frazer's Magazine.l
said in my address at the Health Con-
gress at Brighton what was quite true, that
mad never In my life seen a child SO
healthy that it had not in it some actual or
| latent constitutional disease. Touching
the subject now in hand, it is equally true
to say that it is all but impossible to find
IN the board schools of our large towns any
semolance, critically viewed, of health.
constitutional taints, which under favora-
Die circumstances may often be concealed,
ana which may or may not be apparent,
are there. Various conditions of disease
are there independently of the tendency
from heredity there of themselves, in
some lrregularity of function, in some
shade OF mental alteration. The field Of
the disease which is presented in some of
the schools situated in crowded localities is
indeed IL sight at once for anxiety and pity.
10 the eye of physician who, like myself,
mas spent many years In hospital practice,
II tells story which is absolutely painful,
II he permits the result to be calculated out
OF his mind at leisure hours if, that is
to say, he compares what he has witnessed
In his survey with what he has learned
from long observation OF the meaning of
the phenomena in the history of life. 1t
IS not necessary for him to strip
the children, percuss and sound the
chest, examine the spine, or prac-
tee ally Of those refined arts of
diagnosis with which he is familiar. He
reads from the indications of temperament,
OF expression OF countenance, of color and
skin, OF position Of limb, of build of body,
OF gait, OF voice, sufficient outward mani
festatlcn to discern what Is the true physi-
cal state, what is the stamp and extent Of
disease, what is the vital value of the lives
generally that are before him. Tell the
physician those hyes are to be valued for
some monetary purpose as they stand and
as they are to go on, according to the pres
ent system, and he will give in brief time
an estimate OF value which the keenest
man OF business might readily accept and
act upon. Foremost among the evils which
are thus presented are those common con-
dltions OF disease known as anamia and
cachexia. Strictly these are not diseases,
like diabetes, bronchitis or defined affec-
lions running regular course, but they
are states OF diseased form which by their
presence indicate faulty nutrition at the
period OF life when good nutrition is most
required, and which cannot long 60 on
without insuring the construction OF an
impaired bodily organization. The blood :
food, therefore, though it be even
fair in quality or quantity, is not properly
applied. The nervous system is imper-
fectly built up; the skeleton is imperfectly
built up and sustained. How can the i'm.
provement which is called scholarship lie
turned to fitting account in such recipients
OF 1t ? l watched recently the afternoon
working of large class Of scholars, aud
counted onethird OF them under the most
decisive influence OF these conditions or dis
ease. OF the affected there would not be,
in the ordinary average of life, twenty years
OF existence under the course that was be-
lug 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 oveE-
mental work without physical training,
and that was assiduously and regularly
supplied. With or without the annmia
and cachexis, there is the coustitu-
tional disease, stTuma or scrofula, pre-
sented in these classes. The instances
OF this kind in varying degrees Of iuter-
slty are most numerous. TGis condition
again is a NAL or bad nutrition. 1t,
as much as cachexia or anamia, with which
it is so often allied, is fostered by the pre-
vailing system of mental pressure. With
Lhese cohulllons peIore the eye tnere IS 20
be seen, also, here and there In the classes
of both sexes, but of the girls especially,
tie specimen of the phthisical or consump.
tive subject. In class of fifty pick out
three thus doomed, if their circumstances
be not changed-6 per cent, certainly
moderate proportion. The disease has not
positively developed, but the probability
of its development IS all but certain, I'M
less it be checked by the one only remedial
or preys..rteVe methoc~ ssseS6Ip from nerv-
Ihaustion, combined physical
be in open breathing Fpace>S2eh
Intives are not supplied, but und1s-
G5syous exhaustion and confinement are
both supplied, and go the fatal disease is
systematically famed from Iatency into
activity. Spinal deformity and irregular
construction of the skeleton is another con.