Las Vegas optic., 1914-10-02
SCHOOL HYGIENE

SCHOOL HYGIENE
The study Of conditions surrounding
school life which may iniuriously af-
feet the growth and development of
the child, and proper appreciation Of
the influence of physical defects on
the intellectual capacity of the young,
have until quite recently received little
consideration in this country. The
first attempt to exercise medical su-
pervision of schooc in the United
States was by the city OF Boston, in
1894, for the purpose of controlling
the contagious diseases of childhood.
From this beginning, the movement
has developed until now most of our
cities maintain a more or less compre-
hensive supervision over school hy-
giene and the medical inspection of
school children is mandatory in
number of states and elective in some
others.
In this respect we are considerably
behind European countries, notably
Germany and England, where the sys-
tcm of medical school supervision is
more extensively developed, has been
longer in operation and is practically
national character. That this is so
is largely due to the fact that consid-
GRAFTON of dirt, destitution and dis
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 addi-
tion to thorough training in physio-
logy, and psychology, practical work
ing knowledge of the physics of heat,
light and ventilation, and an ability
to recognize and coordinate the ply
sical condition and educational needs
CT the developing child
The need of skilled services and the
expense incident thereto have been
instrumntal in restricting the practice
Of school hygiene largely to urban
communities. This is unfortunate, be
cause the great bulk of the school
population of this country is as yet
scattered over the rural districts.
The disproportionate prevalence of
prevalent diseases among urban and
rural populations is not great; the
necessity, therefore, of educating ru-
raj communities to the exercise OF
sanitary precautions necessary for the
preservation of health is apparent.
The Importance 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 orderli.
ness, cleanliness and the observance
of sanitary precautions. Furthermore.
the medical inspection of schoolchil-
dren is in more or less intimate re-
Iation with the homes, which In turn !
arc component parts of communities. |
The educational effect of school hy- |
siene extends through these channels
ior the betterment of the community |
iealth.
There Is necessity for uniformity in
methods of examination and of classi- |
tying the results for collective statis- |
tics to be of value. There is need of |
uniform methods and systematic clas-
sification of results before these OBJ |
servations can be of value in studying
mental and physical standards, and
the effect of changing social condi-
tiOns on development
The object of school hygiene, says
The Journal of the American Medical
Association, is to place the impress
sionable child in the most favorable
environment for physical and mental
jevelopmentandto oetect and correct
defects which may impede intellectual
training. The medical supervision of
schools may however, be further util-
iezo by the state in the determination
Of the prevalence of communicable dis.