The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-07-02
For The State Chronicle
Physiology and Hyriene.


1t by former Superntendents, it has finally
broken the fetters which bound it TO the
rudimeHtary branches and now proudly
scars in the realms Of IIygienic Physiology.
The wisdom of adopting this branch Of
study iii our public schools is patent t.
every unpreJudiced observer.
The average length of the term is two
months or forty school days Under the
old moss backed regime the whole of th,
period was devoted to the study of read
ing, spelling, writing, arithmetic, geo
graphy, grammar and history
Thus leaving the pupil in the most de
plorable ignorance of the proper direction
of the bi- toe, and any Study which tends
to enlighten him on this important point
commends itself to ali true friends of edu
cation.
In Steele's Hygienic Physiology, the text
book adopted we find III clear bold type.
this question, What is the proper dircc
tion of the bigtoe
No fair minded man who reads the an
swer to this question can escape immed-
ate conversion. Many of the accidents
that befall school children might be hap
PLY averted by a little judicious instrac-
ton on this subject. At about 8 O'Clock
in the morning the bigtoe of the pupil
properly points toward the school house.
but through ignorance of one of the plain
est principles of Physiology If is often d-
verted from its legitimate course and
leads its wearer into many embarrassing
predicaments.
OF course the precise angle of the bigtOe
must be adjusted with reference to the
character tastes and person of the
| individual. For example the bigtoe of
the orthodox old gentlemen should be
uniformly directed toward the coat tails
of his prospective SON -in-law.
Having shown the long train Of evils
that hover in the wake of a mis- directed
| bigtOe, Prof. Steele thus continues his
| inquiries, Why is the ''spare bed" un-
healthful! The answer to this question
clearly establishes the fact that the spare
! bed is unhealthful, and this alone entities
| Hygienic Physiology to a front seat in the
affections of every hOuse-keeper in tie
State.
A spare bed in the house has always
been regarded as necessary evil, but when
its true character shall be generally known
! it will soon become relic OF the mighty
! past
On the occasion of Synods, Conventions
Conferences and Convocations, illustrated
hand bills showing the deadly nature of
the spare bed and the disastrous consc-
quences of keeping thereon, can be dis
trlbuted gratis among he clergy and con
| gregation and much trouble and expense
thus be avoided.
In the barbarous ages preceding this,
travellers stopping over night at obscure
inns on lonely roads were often found
dead in the morning. Ignorant officials un
learned in Hygiene. would at once suspect
murder, and the unhappy host usually
suffered for the alleged crime. The au
thoritles little dreaming that the decease
of the unfortunate tourist was due solely
to the pernicious influence of the spare
bed. True, the disappearance of the tray
elers watch, purse, and other valu-
ables, is still veiled in mystery, but whe.'
the further researches of science shall fully
expose the depravity of the spare bed.
this also will doubtless be satisfactorily
explained.
Discussing the subject of ventilation,
Professor S. speaks of the benevolent
crack and asserts that teacher and pupils
are often on the point of asphyxiation
when the above described crack furnishes
the necessary oxygen. The Spaniards have
proverb, .'When you take cold through
a key hole you had better make your will, :
but it seems that the school house cracks
have more of the malignant features of
''the key hole in the door.
Colds are seldom contracted through
exposure to cracks and never attended
with the fatal consequences of the key hole
cold. The grand mission of the crack is
to supply oxygen and it seldom prostitutes
its Office by giving colds to the pupils.
All possible facilities in the way of
cracks should be furnished to the outside
air lest it be forced to affect an entrance
through the key hole and thus spread dcs
olation through the community.
Before concluding this branch of oul
subject we must pay glowing tribute {
the builders of our County School houses.
Recognizing the necessity Of abundant
ventilation they have furnished these edi
fees with a bOundless variety of cracks
thus keeping fully abreast of the times
Having demonstrated the hygienc valu,
of cracks, Prof. S. asks: should hats be
thoroughly ventilated?' The importanc,
! Of having hats ventilated is too well know
to require argument and the idea ha.
long been popular among the boys in oul
public schools. Only the largest anC
strongest boys are considered able to sur
: vive the effects of an unyentilated hat
, and in the case of a new scholar OF veal
constitution, the demand for thorough
ventilation is deemed 50 imperative tha
! the entire crown is frequently removed
, OF course any work of this kind wou!,
be incomplete without some remarks upol
the calamitOuS effects of tight lacing. Thl
book contains many interesting and artls
tic illustrations, that the girls may SCI
! what an unhappy conglomeration of i'm
; portant organs is produced by a too liberia
= use of cord and whalebOne.
1t is barely possible that some of ou
Southern girls from strained ideas of deli
cacy may find this study embarrassing
: but this only proves our backwardness Il
the march of progress. At the NortI
; where they have attained degree o
G civilization, far in advance of us, enthu
: siastic young Physiologists of both sexe
) go together into the dssecting ROOM AM
; their superior cultivation enables them t
Il find great delight III the discussion of mud
cOrpSeS.
- The introduction of Steeles Hygienl
:, Physiology into our public schools IS tn
II first step toward the elevation Of our taste
q to "a similar degree of perfection. Plate
is showing the viscera from preface to conclt
e sion viii be found very edifying, AM
others showing the entire mechanism {
=. the human frame, ''from turret to foui
e dation stone" will Doubtless prove source
d of endless diversion TO pupils IN mike
: schools. JOHANNES
4 The above finds place in our column
# because its >pright y sarcasm VIII atfor
r. amusement to many readers, who a
. though Teachers are now scholars
If spending the hottest of hot months
N pouring over the pages and pictures
n Steele, or Barnes, or some other source
- Phys logy and Hygienic wisdom X
marks indicative of an high notch OF ter
% perature in the mental department OF son
of+ +lol IT, Dt