The Butte inter mountain., 1901-09-04

cannot rest flat uoon the floor. should.
not be allowed. Sitting with one elbow
on desk, shoulder high. or in any
strained or twisted position is liable to
cause spinal defOrmities in child of
feeble muscular development. Girls are
very prone to crowd into a seat and
sit down with a pad of skirts elevating
one side or the other and throwing the
spinal column out of the vertical line,
causing a curve or twisting of the trunk.
Another perncious habit among girls
Is to sit on one foot. producing the
same result and diminishing the circu-
lation in the limb.
DO not allow a class to either sit or
stand too long. useful rest may be OBJ
tained by occasionally practicing some
of the breathing exercise as given in
the school rules. In standing see that
ith pupil stands erect, bearing most of
the weight on the ball of the foot: no
leaning against desk, we'll or other OBJ
ject. In any position, sitting, standing
or moving, if the stomach" is drawn
up and in, the shoulders and chest will
take care of themselves. Do not tell
a pupil to throw his shoulders back
If he does so without first drawing his
stomach in, he will have two improper
curves, while if the stomach is drawn
up and in, his shoulders and chest must
assume proper position, which is easily
maintained.
Little can be done at school i'll re-
gard to child's nourishment. OF course
we know that tea. coffee and alcoholics
should be avoided and we may impart
the information that fruit. cereals. bread,
;tl,
make a good breakfast, and that the
dinner is to be hot and taken in the mid
die of the day, if possible, when meat,
fish and vegetables all properly and suf-
f1ciently cooked, may be added to the
bread and butter and milk of the morn
ing meal, while for supper the last three
articles are usually sufficient. This will
form the basis of healthy diet varied
somewhat from day to day to suit in
dividual cases. Pastries may be entire
ly dispensed with. For those who must
lunch at school and are therefore de-
prived of a proper hot meal. it We're wise
to suggest that nuts. candy, fruit cake
and particularly pickles are not desir-
able articles on which to do sustain
ed mental work. They tend to disar-
range the stomach and cause headache,
if nothing worse.
Ventilation and Clothing.
For a number of years it has been the
task Of instructors to find the eliminate
the disadvantages of our system of in
lstruction, and schooling. to the general
health of the child. for these disadvan
tages have been accused of being the
cause Of all the maladies of the child in
and out of school.
These accusations are exaggerated, be-
cause We find that as rule the home
is not always up to date in observing
hygienic rules. But there is no question
that our system of instruction is in need
of improv ement and that our schools may
justly be accused of being the cause Of
quite few evils to the health Of the
child.
1t should be the duty of the teacher
to teach the children how to breath.
The lung is the double organ which takes
the real elixir of life, the oxygen. into
the system. Through tender blood ves-
sells the blood absorbs the oxygen and
evaporates the carbon di oxide. Oxygen
has a strong tendency to unite with
other bodies. 1t penetrates with ener-
gy the tender lining of the vescicles into
the capillary blood vessels, and, form
d
haemaglobine. expels the carbon di oxide.
a chemical product, which. as you know,
makes the blue blue-red and unfit for
nutrition. We consume about 20 pounds
of oxygen a day and exhale about %
pounds of carbon di oxide.
The mechanical action ct the lungs con-
sists Of a motion like that of q pair of
bellows. This motion is. what we call
hrea thing IT ia indeed a SO-called AL
tomato action like that Of the heart,
since we also breathe while we sleep. but
1t can be regulated by the WILL The
control of the will Is even necessary for
several reasons. The first reason is that
to a great extent we forget how to
breathe for want of exercise.
What would We say II we were sup
posed to drink cloudy, filthy water, and
yet so many human being spend the
most part Of their existence in an atmos-
phere which We may, in similar man
ner. call cloudy and filthy and full Of all
kinds Of disgusting insects. The reason
of this Is that We grow into that habit
whereby our sense of smell gradually be-
comes so blunt, that Joined with our ubi-
quitous thoughtlessness. We do not at all
notice such unclean conditions. But as
our sense of smell becomes dull, SO it Is
with our whole nervous system. and as
through that our blood Is no. Well axy-
dized, we lose our resistance against In
furious influences while our susceptibility
is increased for contagion and disease.
Last, but not least. the mechanical or
mineral dust, billions of particles of
which float about in the air. and with
their sharp edges and fine points easily
set fast In the respiratory tract and