The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-13

from saYagery to barbarism. Again, its
Increase, from a national point of view,
is to be considered a serious evil. In
former times, when literary education |
was confined to small number, the
question was of little or no Importance;
now that education is universal, and |
the safety of the republic depends on |
its enjoyment, the question how to pre-
vent it deserves the most serious con- |
sideration Keating in his work, "Dis-
eases of Children" says that bad air
is VIGOROUSLY influential in causing con-
sumption; that the impure condition
of the air in public buildings has very |
much to do with the great prevalence
of such diseases as phthisis, pulmon-
ats, bronchitis and pneumania, which,
together, make up one-fourth of the
total mortality, and that there is little
exaggeration in the statement that all
diseases are caused or made more Sc
we're by 1t. The apparent effects OF
breathing Il foul atmosphere are more
noticeable in a badly ventilated school,
room than anywhere else. Some of the
effects are exhaustion, temples throb-
bing, head hot feet cold, face flushed;
some are sleepy and dull while others
are restless and drowsy.
A series of questions touching the
care of the eyes We're recently sub
mitted to DR.. f.. c.. Loring, jr., by the
Medico-L Legal society, of New York.
DR.. Loring replied in a paper, which
has since been published in the Med
ical Record. To the first question
namely, Whether bad air has any di-
rect effect ON the sight?-the author re-
plies that Vitiated air has a specially ir-
ritating influence on the mucous MEM
brane of the eye, and that bad air, as
a primal cause, may set in train NOR
bid processes which not only affect
the working capacity and integrity of
the organ, but may even lead to its to-
tai destruction. Morrison in his book.
THE Ventilation and Warming of
School Buildings" says: THE inva-
riable verdict of all investigators of
public school ventilation may be epit-
omized as bad, bad BAD. Some are
better than others, or, rather, some are
not so bad as others, but the differ
ence is rather in degree than in kind.
DR.. Edison says that prior to March,
1894, not a single one of the public
school buildings of the great metropo!-
itan city of New York had a complete
ventilatng equipment. We have the
great papers of that city as authority
for the statement, that in many in
stances more than double the number
of children that should have been ad-
mitted We're crowded into badly lighted
and poorly ventilated rooms.
So far as respiration is concerned,
man is a poisonous animal. 1t is said
that we poison each other in health
more than in disease; that mans own
breath is his greatest enemy, and that
air once breathed is untitled to sustain
life. The boys and girls which are
to become our future men and women
are forced to sit by the hour in rooms
where every particle of air is foul with
many breaths and the result is ener-
waited, undeveloped bodies, in many in
stances too feeble to be anything save
clog to the spirits which inhabit them.
From the foregoing statistics and au-
! thorities are deduced the following
| propositions:
First. That the percentage of near
! sightedness in children, when they en-
ter school, is less than per cent.
Second. That the number afflicted
( Herewith and the intensity thereof
| gradually but surely increases through
the entire school life, from year to
year. until colleges and universities are
! reached, and in many institutions
nearly half the students thereof are
! more or less near-sghted.
Therefore, in my opinion, the only
remedy or the evils now existing in our
public school buildings is by legisla-
tion, and not by education, because
| First School boards are continually
changing; the board that builds one
school house rarely ever builds the sec
ond, therefore there is no opportunity OF
educating school boards by experience
Second School boards are not, as 4
! rule, competent judges of sanitary sci
| ence.
Third. County superintendents OF
schools seem to be Indifferent in the
matter, and as a rule, have no knoWl-
edge on the subject.
Fourth. Architects, as q rule, are ig.
norant of the laws Of health.
No wonder that the national conven.
tion of school superintendents, held il
Richmond, Va, some three or foul
years ago, unanimously passed the fol
| lowing resolution:
Resolved, That each state should by
law, provide for the proper ventilation
lighting and heating of each school
and that there should be at least 1,5O
cubic feet of fresh air provided for eacl
pupil per hour. And why should no
the state do so? The fish in our rivers
the game in our forests, the minors o
the state are of sufficient importanc
TO command the protection and the con
sideration of our legislature.
In 1891 our legislature enacted tina
| Ian
of every coal mine in the state shal
provide and maintain an adequate sup
ply of pure air for the same, and tn
b, minimum quantity thus produced shal
not be less than 200 cubic feet per min
ute for each and every person EN-
ployed therein. Therefore, no min
owner in the state has the righ. I
place man IN his coal bank and sub
ject him to the poisonous atmOspher
therein. Mines are private enterprises
Schools are public institutions; chill
, dren of certain age are compelled t
, attend. Then, most certainly the wei
fare of more than 1000, 900 of children
affecting, as it must, not only the pres
: ent but reaching out into the future
, deserves and demands the best though
and highest wisdom of an enlighte
| commonwealth.
| Conceding that the state should, D.
/ law, provide for the proper cOnstruc
t tion thereof, | think it win be concedr
: that this supervision should consist G
. a few general rules, and therefor
5 should cover the following propo;i
e tions:
S First-At least fifteen square feet @