Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-02-02
Health Hints for the School Room.
Lecture Delivered by Charles F. Wilcox M D., Before the
Salt Lake County Teachers Saturday. June 2eth.

his Is especially the case where the
ambition aud pride OF the children arc
stimulated by competition Tor prizes,
/ medals. etc Such system Of grading
/ by a single final examination should not
/ Dc used IN ordinary schools.
The risk 90 health rs too great. II Is
/ true the stimulus Of competition Is use
iul with the maj rity Of children as well
as OF adults, but with some Of them Il Is
pretty sure o. 20 too far
The cOfckS OF mental strain are often
aggravated 10y die us OF sumulants
iaken TO spur the illgging energies.
tn all cases they finally Increase the
very discomioris which they at hrst
seemed TO relieve.
scHooL AGE.
Children should not begin regular
school work from printed books under
the age Of ten years. Their education
should commence IN the nursery, with
obiec, lessons, instruction, aud oral.
Kindergarten training should follow
mp 10 the tenth year Then when the
brain is what il should be at ten. the
eyes will be the better able 10 hear the
fatigue and the burdens which will b.
placed upon them.
Children whose education is conducted
/ upon this plan will Tar oulstrip those who
begin book work at six.
Children should not b. kept at con.
tinuOus work too long at one sitting.
Mental fatigue and eye exhaustion are
sure TO follow
The teacher should not demand too
long hours Of study, particularly 10
mumoize lessons which are as a rule
beyond the comprehension OF the child
Something will give way. II the eyes
10 not iail. the health will.
II the eyes do give way nearsightci.
ness Is the result, caused by Oversuain.
ing during school hours.
The use Of glasses then becomes
/ hHbetaf'ps
There Is no reason why the little
circular focusing Of the eye
should not give out Just as the larger
muscles elsewhere do. illustrate
| biceps.)
one writer says: schools are abso.
lutte manufactures Of the shorisighted.
II Is also claimed that the number OF
persons who are compelled to wear
glasses, Is Ia direct proportion TO the
Increase OF schools and particularly the
higher institutions OF learning.
! do not wish 10 be understood that
the schools are altogether responsible
for this condition.
Heredity plays most prominent
part
Parents with weak eyes or defective
vision often transmit the condition to
their offspring.
Children who have inherited a pre-.
disposition TO such defects are almost
certain, under the present system Of
forcing, to develop eye troubles at the
very beginning OF their school work
As a result. Il frequently happens that
children eight or ten years OF age have
greater need Tor glasses than persons Of
/ fifty or sixty.
II the condition described resulted in
injury to the eye alone, Il would be bad
/ enough, but when we consider the train
/ OF evil results which follow the over
/ straining OF the eye, the effect is almost
/ startling. will merely mention a few
among the many. headache. nausea,
| hys,eria, Chorea or ST. Nitus's dance,
melancholil, insanity, steady increase
/ IN the impairment Of health as well as
vision, and not inirequently total blind
ness.
To preserve good eyesight, insist up.
on sufficient sleep, fresh air and good
light. Rest the eyes frequently by look.
| ing at distant objects, particularly green
/ fields or blue skies.
Avoid tight clothing around the neck.
! Il rctards circulation and causes con-
! gestion with the consequent headache
disturbance Of vision aud vertigo. Avoid
cfoss.lights also strong lights falling
| directly into the eyes. Avoid sudden
| changes from darkness TO Vivid light.
] DO not use stmulants or drugs which
| affect the nervous system,
/ 90 not read when lying down or when
mentally OF physically exhausted.
Pay special attention to the hygiene OF
| the body, Tor that which tends To- pro-
mote the general health acts benehcally
upon the eyes.
! Among the first symptoms Of falling
| sight Is an excessive secretion Of tears,
blurred vision burning and smarting of
the eyelids loss OF eye lashcs and con-
geation OF either the lining membrane
OF the cyc-lids, or the eyeball proper
When such conditions arise, the eyes
should be Immediately relieved from
close application and bathed freely and
| frequently IN cold water, or water In
which little boracic acid has been dis
solved.
II Improvement is not immediate and
| permanent a competent oculist should
be consulted, and the eyes fitted with a
suitable pair Of glasses,
In these notes have drawn literally
from a recent lecture on Hygiene in
! University Education" by Professor $,
| Billings. NJ. -. Deputy Surgeon General
OF the U. $. Army.