The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-02
SCHOOL HYGIENE.


The study OF conditions surrounding
school life which may injurfousiy az
feet :he growth and development ct
the child. and proper appreciation of
the influence of physical defects an
the intellectual capacity Of the young.
have Until quite recently received lite
consideration in this country. The
first attempt to exercise medical SUPER
vision Of schools In the United States
was by the city Of Boston, in 1884. for
the purpose of controlling the con-
tagious diseases Of childhood. From
this beginning, the movement has de-
velo2ed until now most Of our cities
maintain a more or less comprehensive
supervicicn over school hygiene and
the medical inspection of schoo. chill
dren Is mandatory in a number of
states and elective in some others.
In this respect we are considerably
behind European countries. notably
Germany and England. where the sys-
tenn Of medical school supervision is
more extensively developed. has becn
longer in operation and is practically
national II character. That this Is SO
is largely due to the fact thai con-
sideration of dirt, restitution and dig
ease, has not been Of such Immediate
Importance with us, except in certain
restricted areas.
School hygiene is a complex prob
lem. Our knowledge Of its principles
Is greatly in excess Of their practical
application. The position OF school
medical officer presupposes. in add.-
ton to thorough training in physiology
and PSYCHOLOGY, a practical working
knowledge Of the physics of heat. hight
and ventilation, and an ability to
recognize and coordinate the physical
condition and educational needs of the
developing child.
The need OF skilled services ard the
expense incident thereto have been iu-
in restricting the practice
of school hygiene largely to urban
This is unfortunate. be-
cause the great bulk. of the scnool
population Of this country is as yet
scattered over the rural district.
TIE disproportionate prevalence Of
diseases among urban and
rural populations is not great; tho
necessity, therefore, Of educating rural
communities to the exercise Of SAINT
tary precautions necessary TO, the
of health is apparent. The
Of school hygiene in this
respect is paramount, because the
sanitary redemption Of the majority
Of rural communities must largely be
brought about through the practical
education of the young in orderi;ness.
and the observance of sani-
tary precautions. Furthermore, the
medical inspection of school children
is in more or less intimate relation
with the homes, which in turn arc
parts Of communities. The
effect of school hygiene
extends through these channels for the
betterment OF the community health.
There is necessity for uniformity in
methods of examination and Of ciassI
flying the results for collective statistics
to pe Of value. There is need of un.-
form methods and systematic classifi-
cation OF results before these OBJ
can be OF value iHsstudy{ng
physical standards. and the
effect Of changing social conditions %
The object of school hygiene, says
the J5ncnal Of the American Medical
is to place the imprescio:4-
able child in the most favorable en-
for physical and mental
deve.opment and to detect and correct
defects which may impede intellectual
training. The medical supervision OIL
schools may, however. be f'srthcr|
utilized ny the state in the determine
ton of the prevalence Of conmun:c.I-
BILE diseases. especially in rural COM
munitieI. The ultimate control Of ma
laria, trachoma, tuberculosis and ty-|
phoid fever in these communities mus:
be Largely through educational r,eth-
DDS. For these reasons the combina-
ton of the duties of the health Of seer
with that of the medical supervision
of schools appears eminently prac-
ticable.
Intensive studies of the mental ca
pacity Of American school children. at
varying ages, should be undertaken, in
widely separated communities, with a
view to the establishment Of tee normal
mental standard, thereby rendering
possible the study of the impress of
immigration, and the effect Of d
changed social environment on the
mental processes of the immigrant
child, as revealed by similar examina-
tions ut the ports of entry.