The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-25

| WASHINGTON. Sept 24.-The
| hook worm vas one of the chief topics
| discussed at the International Con
| this afternoon. The ravages that this
| pest has made in Porto RICO and the
| effective campa lgn the United States
has made against It, VAS described by
| DIR. Bailey X Ashford. manager of
| the Medical corps Of the United
| States army at San Juan. Porto Rico,
| in an interesting address.
| Dr. Ashford said the Porto Rlcans
had been exposed TO the rseages of
| the hook worm for centuries, but since
{ the United States government had
/ taken hold of the island this strange
| pest had been practically eradtcated.
! The physical condition Of the Porto
| Rieans.~ said~the~d doctor Is now
| per cent better than when the gov
eminent began Its campaign against
| the hook worm about seven years
| ago
since 1900 over 100000 victims Of
| the hook worm haze been treated in
| Porto Rico. and With complete suc-
/ cess There remains about 10000
more to he treated, but these cases
| are not aggravated.
| DR.. Ashford took UP the material
/ benefit that has accrued TO the Island
! of Porto Rico because of this highly
| successful campaign against the hook
| worm He estimated that the com
merce of the island had increased at
/ least four hundred per cent because
| Of the energy and activity of the ma
| tive lahurers after they had been re-
| lieved of the hook worm disease.
/ m auhtact OF NtGnlii~
| canoe of Physiological Age in Eduea-
| ton" DR.. C. Ward, director OF ply
! steal training in the New YORK pub+
lie schools, delivered an impressive
| address to the congress. Or, cromp-
ton held that physiological develop
ment rather than actual age shoulo
be the standard of classification III
the case OF school children. -.
From birth to maturity, ne SAID
"cbildren develop at different rates.
| some outsfripping others in the race
90 that we find at the age of fourteen
/ ahout one-third who are already quite
man and women, one-thfrd In
/ transition period, and one-third quite
/ immature The difference between
tho mature and the immature -
| 81 marked that Ii is astonishing, ue
/ clared Dr. Crompton. that 'ne Aief
| of separating them Tor educa'ioiia'
purposes has never occurred 10 oai
sohoo, authorities. The mature group
are from thirty to hfy per .',
| heavier. thirty to nifty per cent
stronger. and ten to fifteen per cent
tajler than the immature group Oh
| W. same age The mental Abilities
show aven more striking difference
| the tyne of memory changes u oiti
rote To associative, the mental siasp
is increased by an infiux OF new
| ripenaa instincts, resulting from 'Hs
| change from an unsexnai 70
| existence The whole attiihue
,,.a,d ,tfn becomes attached to many
| or womanly things. ana the
az childhood is put behind. AN these
Charres occur about the time the
,,afca clemens. the second moiar teeth
orriva and other easily FeeosniAa nie
/ signs of maturity appear. In sho. -
~ those who are from tweiNe W IA
teen in age Some are young mn az,
nthers are children, regardless %
their ages in years or progress ="
| school,. u,,,h
We find the same Souhs hien -.
their ripened potential abihties 'ts
ON the same benches, taashe ''is a.
lessons and subject TO the same as
n,,line as children, and the results are
+ o,,;ta as moor az they could NAT Ss1.as
~ nndar these circumstances. Inc
| Governmental fact that the mature ana
in,ynature are wholly different anu
should receive different ednca,ioia'
social treatment Is disregaraed- IN
/ the elementary school the mature 90
badly; in the high school, irahhis
fitted 10 their needs, they 40 from
! twenty to fifty per cent better IMAM
| the Immature While 1t is at THIS point
| the educational system on infiexibie
| mo- Q and CnOuOIU-
gical age breaks down. II suffers from
| a lack OF rational classification where
| mature and immature children are
brought together in the same class
| ROOM
| Better ventilation for battieships In
time of war was the plea made by
Surgeon r. c. Holcomb. T., S. ~. be-
fore the congress this afternoon.
"A ship in time of peace. at which
| time the matches are OPEN said Or.
| Holcomb, is much different prob
| lem in ventilation than ship with
| it's matches battened down ready to
go into action. In peace" added the
| speaker. "the air that Is forced into
| a compartment finds a ready exit
through the open matches. When all
matches are closed on the other hand
| and air is forced In, 1t IL at first slight
| ly compressed and then ceases to be
delivered. As result of this all ven
tiiation rs stopped as there Is no exit
for the air. This Is the time above
al other times when efficient ventila-
tion is needed. Proper Ventilation
therefore must provide artificial
means for both supply and exhaust"
DIR. Holcomb also advocated the use
Of electrical machinery ON battieships
instead of steam because of therex-
cessive heat caused by the latter.