The Butte inter mountain., 1901-09-04

DR.. Renick prefaced the reading of his
paper on school Hygiene" by a few
remarks in which he stated that
the subject matter contained in the ad-
dress, as a whole, was furnished by six
we'll known Butte physicians. The Silver
Bow Medical association, he said, had
been requested by the Institute to elect
physicians to present the subject School
Hygiene" in it's various phases and those
selected to do the work were Drs. A. c.
Leggatt, Louis Bernheim. T. A. Gr1gg,
F. w. McCrimmon, ]. w. Gum. I. D.
Freund. The paper he read, DR.. Renick
stated, was the result of the combined
efforts of the physicians named. The
address or paper in part was as follows:
The plumbing and drainage of school
houses is the most important feature In
the construction of school buildings. In
cities where there are sanitary sewers
it is not only necessary to have the
closets, washstands and sinks connect
but that is required by the boards Of
health. The plumbing of the entire
school building should be in plain view
and easily accessible for inspection.
inspection of the sanitary condition Of
each school should be made by the board
of health at least once in every three
school board, that may improve on the
| sanitary condition, should be followed as
quickly as possible.
1.-The toilets should never be allowed
in the cellar, but placed on each floor
where there Is plenty Of light and air,
i e., having windows opening directly
into the toilet.
"It is not only a good system to have
disnfectants used freely in the toilets
but should be the law Of each school
board to compel the use of them at least
twice a week. The washrooms should
| never be directly connected with the toll
cts but in a room adjoining with sep
arate door way. Where the two are in
| the same room children art apt to allow
| the washstands to overflow, and splash
water on the floor Of the entire toilet
| room, keeping the floor continually wet
and unhealthy
Over Study and Confinement.
when we consider that the mental
and physical vigor Of a nation depends
| largely on the environments of childhood
and youth, it seems strange that so little
attention is paid to the physical condi-
tion Of a child attending school, but
rather, every thought seems to be direct
ed to the development Of the brain, too
often at the expense of the childs body
and future usefulness in life.
1.-The occurrence Of so-called school
diseases is not surprising when we re-
fleet that children, on beginning school,
enter upon a new life and environment.
Up to this time they have been allowed
to run and play in the open air, exercise
the body and sesnses without restraint,
but now they are obliged to remain for
several hours a day in close and some
| times unsanitary school rooms, taxing
their minds and straining their eyes for
near objects.
Experience teaches. and statistics con-
firm the conclusions that quite a number
Of children suffer from certain physical
defects and diseases, which, because
rarely observed before the school period,
may be justly attributed to school en-
vironments. The hours of restraint and
study should not be too long, nor too con-
fining. Every child should be sent out
at intermission to get fresh air and ex-
ercise ,and relieve itself of stored up
energy for it Is unquestionably great
strain on a child's nervous system to
keep it quiet for an hour or more at
time.
Forced education is a bad thing. A
brain should not be expected to do more
work than it can perform comfortably.
If it does so. it does it not only at it's own
expense. but also at the expense of the
body. When a child receives mental in
struction in school from three to six
hours day depending on its age) while
physically under restraint. it is only fair
tc presume that the mind should be held
in restraint in turn. and the child be
given plenty OF time and opportunity for
play and exercise. thereby making the
hourse for home study as few and far
between as possible. Then you will have
better pupils who will be more willing
to attend school. and In better condi-
tion to receive instruction, and will,
eventually. make better men and women
in the years to come.
Regarding Cleanliness.
1.-THE subject, 'Hygine' has many
units. One of tn most important, If not
the base of the whole fabric, is the unit
cleanliness, and from a social science
standpoint, the proper conception of its
| principle. the most necessary In our edu-
cation. especially of the young. growing
| generation, who will be the future d.
rectors of intelligence health protection
To be clean Is capable of many inter-
| pretattons, and, as received by Gif-
ferent people. has many standards.
| 1T is we'll understood that the COM
mun1cable diseases are due to the in