The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-01-13

Have Much to DO with General
Health of individuals and
Children Especially.

BAFHLE ORE,EgS. Mich, Jan. Ia
'sIt may seem a far cry from defec-
tive teeth TO drunkenness, and yet il
its a possible and q perfectly logical
sequence, y said Dr. lC. N. Johnson,
OF Chicago, in address here before
the National Conference on hace
Betterment.
atIt has long been recognized in
general way that the condition OF
the teeth has much to do with the
general health of the individual,
said DR.. johnson.
chs question concerns nus most
in growing children-not in the
growing chi dfeh TOf TODD
perhaps. so much "a those Of the
Ereat mass Of humanity Who today
are everywhere particular ly in our
large cities-be,ng gradually as
simulated into our 6uture citizen
ship.
.sThe damage Is not merely mega
tive--it may become very positive.
The child who ia III nourtshed lnTu-
ttfvely develops a craving for sttmn-
lants Observation has demonstrated
the fact that these poor children
who suffer from defective teeth and
cannot masticate will consume enor-
NOUS quantities OF coffee and tea
And it is not fanciful to go one step
further.
sit may seem a Tar cry from de-
fectiYe teeth to drunkenness, and YET
Ift Ia possible and a perfectly log
lea. sequence. We are not giving
these children q fair chance IL We
permit them to grow up with faulty
mouth conditions,
"a general Infection OF the system
sometimes results from an abscess on
a single tooth. These decayed cav
tiles in teeth also form an ideal
culture place for micro organisms
There is no question but that there
have been direct tuberculosis 4nfec-
tions from this source.
etIn the public schools of Chicago
there was at one time an epidemic
OF scarlet fever. ut was noticed that
Immediately following the return OF
the Guaranteed children to school
new cases developed among their as
socfates. 1t occurred to the commits
sioner OF heaEth, Dr. wv. A. Evans,
that a child might carry the germs
OF scarlet fever indefinitely in tine
tonsils or in the cavities of decayeo
teeth. His f1rst order was that no
child. who had suffered from scarlet
fever should be permitted to return
to school TIL all decayed teeth were
filed and the mouth made hygenic.
Immediately scarlet fever was
stamped out of the Chicago schools:
Precisely the same th1ng dappenso
in the public schools OF Valparaiso
Ind.
These incidents are only the
merst hint of what might he written
on the relationship of defective teeth
to the community health. 1f then
defective teeth are such prime fac
tor in physical inemciency it may be
well for us to consider briefly the
prevalence of this affection. Few
neople have any conception of the
relative number of children who are
growing UP with bad raSglth condi-
tions. In an aminatfnn- of the
teeth of school children in various
communities it has been round bhat
at least ninety percent of them have
decnyed teeth IN the public schools
Of Chicago where nearly 10000 chill
dren have been sxamined the per
centage runs much higher than this
SIN conducting ten free dental IN
frmaries in the public school build
ings of Chicago where the teeth OF
poor children are cared for we are
brought face to face with the appall-
ing enormity of the need OF this esr-
vice. Needless to say the improved
physical condition Of these children
has helped chem to accomplish more
in the school room"
Al report of the Interstate Com