The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-23
SCHOOLS ADVANCE
IN HEALTH WORK
Immense Progress Made In
HYGIENE Research in
the Past Decade.

New York. June 23.-The one hun
dred and first bulletin OF the depart.
ment OF child hygiene OF the Russell
Sage Foundation. Just issued, consists
OF the first comprehensive report of
what American school systems are do
ing for the health of children.
The report covers conditions In L.
03s cities, or nearly 30 per cent Of the
important American municipalities. Il
traces the development OF medical in
spection of schools from its inception
In Boston sixteen years ago and gives
details as to the army OF school ply
sicians, nurses. and dentists now EN-.
ployed to safeguard the health of Am
erican school children.
An examination OF the report re-
veais the immense progress that has
been made In the last decade. Ten
years ago the number Of American cit
les having systems Of medical inspec-
ton was eleven; at the present time
Il IL 443. The first school physicians
were employed by Boston in 1894.
Now there Is an army OF nearly 1900
of them.
Hundreds Of School Nurses.
The first school nurses were en-
ployed by New York nine years ago
Now they number between 400 and
500 and are employed by eighty cities
Sixty-nine cities are regularly employ
Ing dentists to care for the teeth Of
their children.
Marked differences are found be-
tween the different states with respect
to progress made In providing for med
zeal inspection. Massachusetts, and
New Jersey stand easily at the head Of
school medical inspection. while in
Vermont. Mississippi. Montana. and
Idaho the municipalities have not even
begun work.
The greatest progress has been
made In the far east and far west, the
North Atlantic and western states cas-
lily outranking those In the south At.
lantic. south central, and north cen
trail groups.
A large portion of the report is CIV
en- over to the hygiene of the school
room and data are given for the 1.O3S
cities telling about the use of such
modern innovations as individual
drinking cups. sanitary fountains. va
cuum cleaners. and adjustable desks.
individual Cup In 800 Cities
The number OF cities supplying indi.
vidual drinking cups Is nearly 800.
while those having schools equipped
with sanitary fountains number al.
most 500. The figures show that the
deadly feather duster Is rapidly being
banished. More than 60 per cent of
the cities use moist cloths for busting
purposes. and nearly 500 use dust alb
sorbing compounds for sweeping.
Eighty-nine cities are cleaning their
schoolrooms by means Of vacuum
cleaners.
Contrasted with these evidences OF
progress are figures showing that 81
cities report that their schoolroom
floors are never washed. and that
the washing Of schoolroom windows
10 entirely neglected.
In almost 1000 cities instruction Ia
given In the effects OF alcohol and to.
bacco: 649 have special courses de.
voted to the prevention and cure of
tuberculosis. and 500 give lessons in
first aid to the injured.
The tables of the report are so ar.
ranged as to give all of the different
sorts OF information by state divisions.
by individual states, and finally for
each separate city OF the entire 1,O3S.