Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-31

the soil.
Circumstances hare so changed
that the efforts made By foreign IN
UestorS to unload their American Sc
curities at the outbreak of the Eu-
Topedn tCdr toiIl not be repeated.
Blood-pressure tests to determine the
cause of ailments among children, and
the study of coal mine explosions were
among the many subjects discussed today
at the convention of the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement of Science.
o. p. Hood, chief mechanical engineer
OF the United States Bureau of Mines,
spoke on safety Engineering" Mr..
Hood said that there was a growing feel
ing that every industry "should receive
ats workers each day in fit condition and
should return them to their homes whole
and in like fit condition"
Throughout the country, Mr.. Hood
said, there was a movement on foot to
bring about safety in the great industrial
plants. This movement had met with ap-
proval In the legislatures of many
States. Mr.. Hood said in part:
Each engineer, mechanical, electrical,
civil and mining, is now asked to view
his work from n new angle. Guards.
guides and protective devices are added
where 1t is perfectly evident these de-
vices should have been before, but IT
becomes equally evident that this Is
J1lOSI SupeTnCldl hllu lHducNddtS oOehsS
ment of subject of large proportions.
Every industry will present similar
safety problems that must be studied
more carefully than can be expected OF
the unaided Industrial organization. 1t
is this phase of safety engineering that
/ wish to specially emphasize.
There are several agencies that can
be expected to meet in various degree
this need One of the most promising is
that of cooperation between group OF
members of an industry and established
laboratories, Federal State or educa-
tional, which laboratories may be spe-
cially fitted by men and equipment for
Investigating the special problem In
hand"
BLOOD PRESSURE TESTS.
Miss Louise Stevens Bryant, attached
to the Criminal Division of the Phila-
delphia Municipal Court, spoke before the
educational section of the convention. She
told of recent blood pressure research
work among feeble-minded children.
According to Miss Bryant, variable
blood pressure appears to accompany
feeble-mindedness.
A recent experiment on 200 girls at the
Sleighton Farms Reformatory showed
that the blood pressure of the normal
child varied but little between any one
of four tests, while that of the Feeble
minded girls showed large percentage
of variation. The blood-pressure expert
ments in many cases also gave the oirect
cause of the ailment
How the slightest disturbances In the
sphere of the nervous system may oc-
cur and mar the mental health and VI
tality Of school children was described
by DIR. Maximilan Groszmann, director
of the National Association for the Study
and Education of Exceptional Children,
who spoke on "The School Child" before
the educational division. He said:
1--WE may distinguish four classes, or
types of exceptionally bright children,
using this term as meaning children who
are in advance of their fellows of same
age, especially in school work. This sue
cess in school, however, is not altogsher
an index of real mental excellence. The
very first group OF children which we may
consider does not necessarily represent
brightness or brilliancy at all. 1t simply
represents success, at least temporary
success.
'erhis group is composed of children
endowed with a good memory, largely of
q mechanical kind. In school work, which
consists mainly of recitations and the
requirement of book knowledge, they are
apt to make rapid progress through the
grades. They learn because they retain
the lessons and can reproduce them. az
a sponge retains the water 1t absorbed
when squeezed out.
Certainly, there are good minds lucky
enough to be also endowed with good
memory, and weak minds whose weak
ness is augmented by lack OF memory.
but 1t does not infrequently happen that
very mediocre minds. yes, even distinct
" feeble minds. will, through having
a good memory, outshine their betters
In school work. at least during the ele-
mentary period before the higher reason
ing faculties come into play
HunA NNtlN han uaIW
left behind. much the worse for their
learning which does not represent any
live value to them, and the acquisition
of which has prevented them from pre-
pairing themselves for life in their own
iowly fashion. In their case, II is a
matter OF early diagnosis to direct them
along really educatiye lines
''There is, first, the child whose physical
and mental growth is generally more
rapid than that OF an ordinary child.
"There is the type of child in whom one
faculty is developing at the cost. 1t would
seem, OF all or most of the other faculties.
'@rhe last and most difficult type is the
one where these special endowments are
coupled with nervous temperament, or
even a neuropathlc or psychOpathic ten
sion. All kinds of disturbances In the
sphere or the nervous system and OF the
psychic life may occur and mar the
mental health and the vitality Of the
body"
EXHAUSTION OF SOIL.
The virgin soil of the West has passed.
and the American farmer will have TO
practice rotation OF crops and intensive
farming, even on the great wheat farms
OF the Northwest.
This statement was made by Z. W.
Allen, assistant director OF the State
AGRICULTURAL experiment stations main
tained BY Government and State sub
sides. Mr.. Allen is among the many
egriculturists attending the convention,
THE system OF farming that has been
praeticed by American farmers for gem
eratiens is fast depicting our virgin
soils" MT Allen said and the days
when the rich virgin soils OF the West |
were 50 plentiful have passed. This ex-
tensive farming system has taken the |
organic matter out OF the ground to such
an extent that the soil N many places !
does not hold It's moisture.
''1he time VIII soon be here when farm- /
ers Will have TO stop growing wheat
year after year on the great farms of
The Northwest ana rotate their crops
With clover OF other crops that give the /