The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-27
A Fifteen Minute Talk on Hygiene
at the Summer Normal
School.
Increase of Near Sightedness In
the Children of the United
States.
This Country Rapidly Following In the
Wake OF Germany in Myopia
Among the Young.

d
not found in the text books and was very
instructive. 1t seems a work of superero-
CATION for me, he said, to talk to you on
school hygiene, since such a vast amount of
literature on the subject ia accessible to all
of you and written SO much better than I
can write. Then it always struck me as
being out OF place for doctors to instruct
people how to keep we'll, as when the mil
lenium of sanitation shall come they, like
Othello, will find their occupation gone.
Blu since at has come to be recognized as
a fundamental law of sociology that a mans
first duty is to the state. his second to his
family and his last to himself" we submit
with the best grace we can.
T. As all vantages have their ad-, while
only u few have their dis the adj of this
is it's scope. There are Il hundred things
that might properly come under the head,
to know something of all of which. each
should aspire. It occurs to me, however,
that we can best employ the time at our
disposal. in considering some of the things
for which we can, and ought to be made
responsible. AS teachers you will not be
able to remedy faulty construction of
school buildings, imperfect systems of
heating and ventilation, nor to a feet much
by advice to parents as to the proper dress
for their children. while the touchi NO of
such topics as food, baths and cleanliness
might be received as a direct %atfront. still
it is your duty to familiarize yourselves
with these things, so as to be prepared to
make the most of the opportunities that
may present, or when asked for informa
ton, on any of these subjects. 1t is not only
important that teachers should be able
to obtain a first class license. 90 good
disciplinarians, be capable of imparting in.
structlon, have Judgment and tact, but they
should also have a little common sense. No
pupil can be taken as a standard for any
other, indeed l might almost say, nor or
himself. What would be but play to-day
might be a task tomorrow. In Judging Of
necessities it is always better to err on the
side of the pupil. Great. sometimes almost
lrreparable injury is done by not observing
this rule. Over work, work performed
under PRESSURE, or at a bad season of the
year, or in a state of anxiety and in some
physical conditions are among causes of
injury: The object Of education being not
only the development Of the mind, but also
the fitting for the duties of life, great care
is necessary that the mental shall not be
out of proportion to the physical growth.
The more precocious the greater the
care, as such are more likely to
fall below mediocre in the end.
The prize inner are not often the sue
cessful in the worl's field Of action. A ma
tured brain requires intervals Of rest for
repair and the laying up nervous energy for
the future. How much more the organism,
that not only has these necessities, but also
that of growth as we'll! The foundation Of
so many of the ills to which flesh is heir is
laid in the school room that the position of
teacher is yearly increasing in responsible
lty. 1t IAN ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of curo,' what is prevention worth
when cure is impossible? | will not require
TIM cnlT,tIn1 NOW lint will oaly ~, 4 - A,Jra
this problem with you in all your work in
the school. If it is not sufficiently difficult4
l will add to it: What is prevention worth
when not only is cure impossible, but the
evil becomes hereditary-is transmitted to
a all tatu re generations Of IS suoh is the
acquired in the school room, the most fire.
quent of which is myopia or n~ear-sighted-
ness. Germany is to-day a nation of my
opics, the percentage of near-sighted eyes
being over eleven in young children and
over sixty-two j: adults, and the United
States is rapidly following in her wake with
a percentage of five in the youngest and
thirty in adults. German children in the
United States show a greater percentage of
near sight than the American, due to a
greater hereditary tendency. In a London
boarding school ten per ceilt. of the chill
dren we're found to be near-sighted. These
are alarming facts, as the usefulness of an
individual is very seriously impaired by de-
fective sight. The wearing of glasses prac-
tically units one for many avocations in
life. But a few years ago it was a rare sight
to see a child wearing glasses, now
the street. Germany leads the world in
education, but know edge has been gained
at fearful cost, since statistics conolusively
show the higher the scholastic standard the
greater the percentage of myopics. Indeed
it is about rs safe in that country to call
npnr ,,a, -~y -,ark r1r- .J
sporting u cane professor as to address the
ordinary citizen in this AZ judge or colonel,
with the chances that you will be more fire.
quently correct.
Since it is unquestionable that near-sight,
when not Inherited, is acquired during
school life, it becomes US to inquire what
are the causes. Chiefly, they are study in
bad light, in a bad posture, imperfect print,
bad ink, bad boards, bad window glass,
dirty states, to which may be added study
when the system is deb.litated from any
cause, and excessive application in the form
alive state, when structures SO readily mold
into an abnormal shape, as the bent twig
becomes the inclined tree. The school
room should be seated SO the light would
be- received over the pupils left shoulder,
but if thisc can not be done. no arbitrary
position, when writing should be required,
rs he is better qualified to Judge what is
best adapted to his situation and reculiEri-
ties. l have often found scholars writing
with the face within three or four inches of
the paper. This puts the muscles of nc
commodatlon on Il strain, that If long coli
tlnued must seriously damage the eye.
Books printed with poor or worn-ort type
should have no place in the schoolroum.
Ink that is first pale should never be used.
Boards that have a vanished app earancs
nre unfit for use. Windows should only be-
set with the best plate glass, as many errors
of refraction are due, unsusl ected, to I'M
perfect glass which distorts everything seen
through 1t. Greasy, dirty states on which
Il legible mark cannot be made should never
be permitted in the school,. The condition
of tho nervous system of each pupil, Us to
the amount of light required, his inability
to apply himself, the necessity of frequently
looking up to rest the eyes, must be Judged
individually. The rules given by DIR. Lin
coin, on the use of the eye might DO given
here with advantage. They are:
First-A comfortable temperature, and
especially let the feet be kept warm and dry.
Second-Good ventilation.
Third Clothing at the neck loose. the
same as regards rest of the body.
Fourth-Posture erect; never read lying
or shopping.
~Fifth-Little study before breakfast, or
directly after n hearty meal; none at all at
twilight or lute ut night.
Sixth. Great caution about study after
recovery from fevers.
seventh. Light abundant, but not daz-
cling.
Eighth. Sun not shining on desk or on
objects in front of scholar.
Ninth. Ilpht coming from lnft hand or