The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-11
SPINAL DEFECTS
DUE TO PARENTS
Many Children Permanently
Injured Because of Par
entail Neglect.

Boston, March 1l.--Between 10 and
% per cent. of our school children
need treatment for spinal curvature.
according to DIR. Z. II. Bradford. who
lectured at Harvard medical school
on Spinal Curvature and What Can
BE Done to Keep Our School Children
Straight" The lecture was ono OF
the series OF free public lectures CIV
en- at the medical school Sunday after.
moons during the winter.
Proper provision for the correction
Of such curves In approximately ten
thousand children was admitted by
the lecturer TO be a formidable under
taking, yet he stated, II is possible
under ideal conditions TO prevent 80
Der cent. OF these deformities and to
cure three-fourths of them.
The demand for proper measures
can not be ignored. he said. in view of
the fact that such curves may con-
stitute serious detriment to efficient
work In life.
speaker a. follows. % Weak backs.
az curved backs, 90 twisted backs
His conclusions were that the first
and most OF the second class can be
cared for under the provisions for ply
steal culture In the better schools
Those Of the third and the worst OF
me second need most careful special
attention.
Il 10 desirable that the attention of
HAanhoe. srhHUI pnraao aud achnpI
physicians should be directed TO not.
Ing peculiarities OF attitude and car
rage In pupils and to recording and
grouping them. and that some uni
formity OF record and standard OF i'm
perfection should be agreed upon.
Parents Of children in the third
group should be informed OF the need
Of special care. when necessary. Spe-
cial arrangements OF the curriculum to
meet the needs OF children suffering
from the severer forms Of curvature
n a subject which demands the care
full attention Of educators.
Parents Responsible
THE percentage Of curves Of the
spine increase with each year Of
school life. but parents can not escape
the large share Of the responsibilities
Of curved backs. said Dr. Bradford.
For malnutrition the home Is re.
sponsible. Faulty hygienic conditions
exist more commonly in homes than in
the school. and the clothing which ia
vors faulty attitudes Is furnished by
parents.
1.-THE school. I. e.. the city or the
state In taking charge OF the educa.
ton Of the child. assumes a partner.
ship In the responsibility of the ply.
steal condition OF the child. We
should. however. be led to the climax
Of paternaiism II this were pushed to
Its utmost limit, condition Of govern
ment possible perhaps In Spartan
like community. but certainly impos-
sible or undesirable in our land of in.
dividualism.
"But the evil Of spinal curves and
weakened spines Is one which should
not remain uncorrected. Something
should be attempted to remedy con-
dition which ID a manifest detriment
to the working efficiency Of the state
and to the health and happiness Of in.
dividuals.
Admitting the exitence of the evil
OF crooked spines in our school chill.
dren to an unnecessary extent. the
question OF correcting this Is by no
means an easy one. Is this to be the
work OF the school authorities. Of az.
ents specially appointed for the task,
or of the parents.
Avoid Futile Effocts,
1.-THE objection to either Of these
methods 10 sufficient to condemn It.
Fifteen thousand children can not be
brought easily by any power to main.
tain correct attitudes all the time or
compelled to observe the laws OF