Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1914-12-31
SOUND TEETH AND BRAINS.


left to individual initiative, which too
frequently becomes operative only for
the purpose of securing individual re-
| lief from pain. There is little organ
lied effort made to combat the condi-
ton as a whole or to understand the
enormously destructive effects Of its
neglect.
We are extremely particular about
sanitation of the straps to which we
hang in street cars, the ventilation of
our public halls, and the like, and
such matters are regulated by ordi-
nance and the police power; but lit
tie thought is given to the twenty
three inch incubator that each indi-
vidual carries into every public gath
ering or of its possible relation to in
dividual and public health and prog
ress. This view of the matter may
possibly give peculiar interest to a
publication entitled: "a Report of Sci.
entific Experiments Conducted in the
Cleveland Public Schools for the Pur-
pose of Ascertaining the Value Of
Healthy Conditions Of the Mouth"
The facts set forth in this report are
very Illuminating, as the following
will show:
In June, 1909, by authority Of the
board of education, the mouths Of the
846 children enrolled in the Marion
school of Cleveland were examined by
competent dental surgeons. Only
three were found with teeth In per
feet condition. colored boy eleven
years of age, Slav girl Of ten, who
had been in America about six
months, and an American born child
of Russian percentage, aged twelve
years.
1t was decided to form test class
of the children showing the worst
mouth conditions in grades A, 5, 6 and
Z, aggregating 4zS pupils, and, accord
ingly, group OF 40 of the worst
mouths were selected as making a
unit convenient to handle and repre-
senting approximately 10 per cent Of
| these grades.
I Before beginning any treatment
each of the 40 pupils was carefully
tested for memory, accuracy of per.
ception, rapidity of thought and spon-
taneity of association and differentia-
ton, individual records being made by
a competent PSYCHIC gist.
/ The following two passes, selected be-
cause one made thJ poorest and the
other the best SHOWING in the first
psychological tests are very signin-
cant and highly suggestive of fer.
tile field for practical uplift work.
| Case No. Girl, age thirteen. This
girl made the poorest showing in the
first psychological tests, and in her
school record; she was three years
behind grade and doing poor work in
that grade. The child was dull and
very slow to grasp ideas. She was
suffering with severe constipation.
was stolid, with no animation at all
In fact, there existed decided mental
deficiency. The dentists worked for
her most of the winter; 16 teeth were
filled, requiring ten amalgam and 15
cement filings. Her teeth are now in
, a sound condition. She keeps them
beautifully clean, is now healthy and
brighter mentally, constipation entire
ly cured, complexion clearer and skin
good color. There has been a steady
mental improvement and decided gain
: in flesh.
School record-Before the dental
work was done her scholarship and
attendance were poor; her effort was
good and her conduct fair. After:
scholarship, fair; effort, attendance
and conduct, good
The psychological record showed
that in points of memory, spontane
GUS association, addition, association
; by opposites and quickness and accur
acy of perception she made after the
dental work was done total average
gain of 44488 per cent.
Case No Boy, age eleven. Very
small for his age, thin, pale and poorly
nourished. He stood the highest in
| IuS nlbI poyCuOlO6lCdL tCoto' III OF
temporary teeth required attention
and these were filled with three ce
ment and two gutta percha filings
The permanent teeth were very slow
! in erupting. Since his dental work
has been completed he shows genera
improvement and has grown rugged
School record-Before: Scholarship
good; effort, fair; attendance and con
duct, poor After: Scholarship and at
tendance, good; effort and conduct
excellent.
His psychological record on the
points already mentioned showed to
, tai average gain of 80 per cent.
In addition to the actual mechanical
} work done on the teeth and mouth
tissues the children were instructed
, in the use of the toothbrush. also how
to eat and in some degree even wha
to eat. Individual average gains were
shown to range from a minimum O.
26.102 per cent to maximum o.
91S.3S4 per cent, and the total average
gain for the entire class of Al
: amounted to more than 997 per cent
Society exists for the benefit Of 1t,
members and not the members for the
benefit of society. If this be true ther
1t surely is the duty of society to takl
. | atans IN piva ife tnnonant y,.au,hors n