The Springfield herald., 1914-10-16
THE RIGHT START.

In United States bureau Of educa-
tion bulletin No. ~. page IA. appears
the following: There are in the
schools of the United States today ap-
proximately 20.000.00O pupils. Exten-
sive observations of child health for
| 20 years and careful study of statis-
tics and estimation of all conditions
lead to the following conclusions:
From 100000 to 100000 Q.5 to 2 per
cent? of these pupils have organic
heart disease. over 100000 $50
as 80 per cent? have defective teeth.
which are potentially, If not actually.
detrimental to health. About 15.000.-
900 (75 per cent? of the school chill
dren Of this country need attention to-
day for physical defects. which are
partially or completely remediable.
This report seems to indicate con-
dition in this country but little. II any.
superior to that shown to exist in Eng
land, and the character Of the troubles
points to a like cause-namely, insult
ficient tissue building material, entail
| Ing starvation and anemia.
Every human individual begins life
as single cell Of about one hundred
and twentieth inch in diameter. and
from that microscopic beginning in
tains an average weight Of approx.
mately seven pounds. and normally is
born with u smooth. pink skin and is
otherwise perfectly developed.
There Is no direct mixture of the
blood of the mother and that of the
developing embryo. All the processes
contributing to Its growth and main
tenance. including those of respira-
ton and excretion. take place through
intermediate structures. This Is an
extremely wise provision Of nature,
whereby much of an injurious char
acter in the blood of the mother is
barred from reaching the embryonic
tissues. Undoubtedly, the cells which
form the organs of nutrition for the
| embryo have a capacity for selecting
the elements required for the purpose
of nutrition not Influenced by the e1'
igencies of commerce.
Were 1t not for this intermediary
process, the embryo rarely would es-
cape being poisoned or otherwise In.
jured by all the varied unhealthy
products and substances which the
ignorance of some mothers allows to
be present In their blood during this
important period. Even with this
means of protection, the maternal
blood may be SO utterly deficient In
nutritive qualities that the fluids
which reach the embryonic cells may
be very much impaired In quality.
All the tissues. including the bones,
are dependent during the intrauterine
life on the supply Of nutrient material
derived from the maternal blood. Our
tissues require proteids. fats. carbo-
hydrates, salts, water and oxygen
from the inspired air. If the blood Of
the mother is deficient In these ele-
ments the growth and development
of the embryonic bones will be re-
tarded and the imperfections thus be
gun will be continued in Infants
whose blood is not restored to a nor
NAL state after birth.
individuals insuficiently nourished
before birth enter the world handi-
capped by blood deficient in nutritivs
| ana OAyRtu-CdIiylh6 pOWSA, eAA 49,
less this is early corrected. there fs
as a result arrested development. The
effect of faulty diet In the causation
of disease is demonstrated by expert
ments on animals. Puppies fed on
raw flesh exclusively for six months
become rickety, and pigeons and
chickens fed on starch develop poly
neuritis. Therefore. diet OF starch
or patent process flour and a small
amount of milk is not to be recon-
mended for even the child Of strong,
robust parents and should be relig-
tously stunned by those of low VI
tality. An infant cannot thrive on
library paste.
Life, blood and food are so fnti'
mately blended that 1t is impossible
to consider one without the other.
and, blood being the connecting bond
between life and food. 1t is of the ut
most importance that it be maintained
at its highest point of efficiency,
which is, OF course. the normal
We know comparatively little about
the process of digestion or OF the finer
structure and composition Of the red
blood corpuscle and Of the blood
stream in general. But there Is ons
fact conclusively proved and found to
be constant and universal. namely.
that good health and hemoglobin
content are synonymous.
II your hemoglobin content ranges
between 80 and 100 you are rated nor
NAL approximately; II below 80 you
are anemic. and the gravity OF the
condition can be very accurately
measured by the amount Of hemoglo
hin content distributed among the
number of corpuscles present
It is desirable to keep this fact wei
In mind. 1t Is the poorly fed, Ill clad
and poorly educated child OF TO-DAY
that is to become the parent OF to
morrow.