The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-09-01
RAYMOND w. PULLMAN.

ItMSS W0SNtV0tOW bWItOWs tuS'VPVss
tan Bank Building.
WASHINGTON, Sept with the
time for the opening OF class-rooms to
the nations army
Health Of Of school children
only few weeks
School Pupils. OF, the United
states public
health service has received compre-
hensive report on the value of medical
inspection OF pupils which will ofer
interesting reading for parents and
teachers throughout the country. The
study of this subject. which has been
given much attention recently by edu-
cational and health authorities. was
taken up and reported upon by DR.. j.
w. Schereschewsky, one OF the best
known surgeons OF the governments
public health bureau.
The ability of pupils efficiently to
embrace the opportunity for educa-
ton Ia more dependent upon good
health than upon any other condi.
tion," says DR.. Schereschewsky. 1T
has been abundantly shown that
physical defects and diseases OF many
kinds play q most important part In
retarding or even arresting mental
and moral development, when allowed
to extend their influence through
childhood years. Many Of the de-
fects or diseases discovered among
school children, while pernicious In
influence on growth and development,
are In the majority of cases either
readily preventable or durable. I'm
less there IL competent medical IN
spection. however. the presence OF
these defects 10 often unexpected by
either teacher or parent and irretriev-
able damage may be done.
Few people fully realize the az
tent of defects among school children.
In the examination of more than 7S,-
900 New York children q few years
ago $3.50. or approximately II per
cent. presented some form Of defect
or disease requiring treatment, and
out OF 10 examined In Minneapolis
462, or more than IS per cent. were
defective to the extent of requiring
medical treatment. Examinations In
many cities have shown that about 20
per cent OF all school children suffer
from defective vision and that some
six or seven per cent have defective
heaving. Sight and hearing form the
chief apparatus through which know
ledge Is acquired, and upon their con-
dition In later years depend q large
part of individual eniciency. Many
children. not learning properly In
school, are backward only because OF
some defect. of the eyes or cara. usual
ly OF q remediable nature.
IAN astonishingly large number OF
children have bad teeth. Although
most of us regard the teeth merely
as aids to mastication and 90 orna
ments to the mouth. In reality the
care and proper development Of the
teeth and dental arches have most
important relation to the genera
health and physical development
There can be no doubt that . small
amount Of attention to the teeth II
IcLildhood IL Of inestimable beneh
and far outweighs the most expensive
and skilled treatment In later years
when II IL often too late. Physician
now recognise the teeth a. such i'm
portant factors In . sound mental ant
physical development that they arr
Iamong the most important points Gov
cred by medical school inspection.
"Adenoid growths. the enlargement
OF the tissue Just back Of the open
ings OF the noee into the throat. Ar
also found In many school children
These often attain q size 20 ~ to In
lterfere with nose breathing. ant
cause the affected child to become
IcnroniC mouth breather, condition
which II allowed to continue entails
many unfortunate consequences
Adenoid growths are also apt to blocl
partially the opening Of the ears int
the throat, so that dullness OF hearinl
Is the result.
Besides defects in the two mos
important senses, hearing and seeing
perhaps the most serious defect foun'
among school children is 'malnutrl
ton BY this term IL meant the faul
ty growth OF the various tissues AM
organs of the child's body or thei
failure to attain their normal growth
Malnutrition does not necessarily i'm
ply that the children have been I'm
derfed This defect IL often the re
suit of some communicable disease
and may also depend upon the IN
healthful environment OF the child
Improper feeding from birth, lack O
SUFFICIENT play and fresh air, unde
and over feeding, bad teeth and othe
causes. ~.
in the medical inspection O
school children enlarged tonsils hav
often been found to accompany ade
mold growths. Children suffering from
enlarged tonsils are apt to lose mucl
time from school by reason of sor,
throats And are liable to rheumatt,
fever, diphtheria infection and tuber
culosis. Among other defects an,