Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-05-30

Wulcu Was cAUScH Dy oHChA AtoAAi oAPPo'se.
neoes sity; from this cause the shore Of life
: is strewed with wrecks.
Many children are either under or over
i, fed or are allowed TO eat candy to excess;
others live in unsanitary houses or are vic
tins of unwholesome habits. Some are
ambitious and pore oyer their books in the
evening, often in badly ventilated room
and with poor light, or rush to school in
the morning without breakfast, or one
swallowed in haste without proper masti-
cation, and in consequence are not able to
stand the strain of school life.
j When child enters school an estimate
OF his general strength should be made, for
it is most important to remember that
though the demand made by work upon
J the muscles Of the eye, may not be unrea-
sonably great in itself, yet it may be alto
gether excessive in relation to the indIYid-
ual TO whom it is made. Many children
enter school in more or less unfeebled health,
and their work mast be adjusted accord
ingly, or they will be condemned to the
stern law of the survial Of the fttest. Chill
dren having sore or infiamed eyes should
J not be allowed 80 enter school without a
certificate from physician to the effect that
the disease is not infectious. Unless the
child has a certificate stating that he IS
under the care, or has been treated by a
!, competent oculist, the acuity OF vision
should be taken by the teacher when the
child enters school, or at any time when
there is a suspicion Of anything being
wrong.
i 95 per cent. of the people wearing artif-
cial teeth are regular contributors TO the
physician.
The progressive dentist Of to-day
sees the artificial plate gradually diminish
ing, be sees fewer extraetions but this is
only within the radius of his practice. He
looks further and sees she thousands who
have not had the knowledge i'm
parted to them concerning the value of
their own teeth. How are we going to inn
J part this knowledge? Through the schools
I is the only solution. Habits formed dur
J ing childhood whether good or bad, will
continue through life. Il is an old saying
train the child right and it will live right.
The Dental Profession in some OF the
States has tried to have appropriations
made to take up this work, but has failed
There has also been an effort to give GER
tain number Of lectures in the schools and
, to the public, but these attempts have also
failed, owing to the lack Of funds. Some
State Societies have made an effort by ap-
pointing a member from each county, as
4 County Examiner. The results from this
cannot be claimed to be a success, as there
3 are few in the profession who are fixed
financially to warrant their giving a lot Of
their time without compensation. Yet
many dentists would do so could they af-
ford it,
4 1t is found, on investigation, that the
dentist who was appointed by his society,
as County Examiner, has been the loses
not only in valuable time, but in his prac-
tice as WE'LL for she public has looked up
on such movement as personal gain to
the dentist to increase his practice, while
the Society has conferred the appointments
on him in order to benefit the public.
4 DIR. William 81. Gelston, Chairman Of
the Committee on Oral Hygiene Of the
Southern Dental Society New Jersey,
with his committee has been extremely
active endeavoring to educate the teachers
of our public schools. This same activity
has shown itself throughout all the Jersey
4 Dental Societies.
i In Philadelphia DR. Fauth, understand,
has given certain number Of lecturers in
the public schools. With what results
4 have been unable to learn.
i DR.. P. d. Houston, ,of Lewisburg, Tenn,
in an address before the Tennessee State
Dental Association suggested the formation
Of textbook on Oral Hygiene for use in
the public schools, and pleaded for an ac.
tive campaign for this work in Tennessee.
j The results have been unable to learn.
j In 1901, under the Low administrations
corps Of nurses was added to the corps Of
inspectors. The duties Of the school nurses
consists in promoting the cleanliness Of the
children and in treating minor ailments Of
the.skin and eye under the direction Of the
j inspector The results are cleaner and
healthier children. Through this agency
one Of the most dangerous forms Of conta-
4 gious eye diseases [traohoma) was greatly
reduced.
i The number Of cases Of trachma in the
schools Of Manhattan Borough on March
31st, 1905. was 17,710. A year later on
March 18th, 1906, careful census showed
only I3. 900 cases, according 70 Or. Thomas
Darlington, Commissioner Of Health, under
/, whose administration this new work was
established.