St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-27
WARNING TO PUPILS.
How Disease Is Spread by Use OF
Books and Pencils.

oOOA5 OikSiASs
DR.. Hoyt as health commissioner hav-
ing had his attention called to certain
practices in the public schools which he
considers detrimental to the health of
the pupils yesterday sent the following
letter to the board of education:
To the Honorable Board of Education,
st. Paul, Mlnn.-Gentlemen: A few
days since prominent gentle
man of this city called my atten-
ton to the fact that there was
very uDsanitary method in existence in
our publ schools in the matter of the
indiscrimlnate use of lead and slate
pencils by the pupils. / at once ordered
Health Officer Sinks, of this department,
who IS in charge of the matter of con-
tagious diseases, to Investigate and re-
port, and have just received same,
which is as follows:
THAT in the majority of our public
schools all pencils used by the pupils
are collected daily at the close of the
ing the night and Unfortunately dis
tributed among the scholars in the
morning.
For obvious reasons this practice is,
in my opinion, very dangerous one,
and must be stopped at once. 1t is
well-known fact that children engaged
in the use of pencils will invariably
hold the same in their mouths during
considerable portion of the time. 1t is
also well-known fact that very often
pupil will attend school. sometimes for
several days. suffering with mild case
of diphtheria before the same has been
discovered by its parents or physician.
That scholar will use the pencils as
aforesaid, the next day it will fail into
the hands Tor rather mouthl' of some
other pupil, and in this very simple
manner cause numbers of cases of
diphtherla, the origin of which has
heretofore been unaccountable. AS
remedy l would suggest. first,
that each pupil be allowed to re-
tain and take care of his or her own
pencils, and be strictly forbidden TO loan
or exchange them to or with each other.
If this suggestion be inconsistent with
the rules or regulations of the schools,
the janitorS must then be furnished
with strong disinfecting fluid, and in
structed to thoroughly cleanse the pen
ellis at some time during the interval.
between their collection and distribu-
ton; the principals of the schools to be
instructed at the same time to see that
these precautions are strictly observed.
L MOulu IcCOllllucHu dS d SUlIdUIS ulSiU-
fecting fluid either a saturated solution
of soft soap and water, or a solution of
one part carbolic acid to ten parts of
water. Officer Sinks also reports what
may be another very prolific source of
contagion, and that is the matter of old
school books. They are issued
to families indiscriminately. re-
turned to the schools when
needed no longer by the pupil
or pupils, and reissued to others. Dur
ing this process of travelling about you
can readily see that it is very easy
matter for them to become impregnated
with the germs of contagious diseases
and thereby assist in propagatiIg and
spreading the same. l would request
that report be made at once to this
department as near as possible cf the
number and value of such BOOKS now
in possession of the city with view to
either destroying the same or disiDfect-
Ing tnem and adopting some system