Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

s1.b per thousand. In 1904 nearly 400
children died between the ages OF two
and five years. and last year the number
dropped to less than 3,23O. a reduction OF
the rate from nearly IS per thousand to
9.5.
The total number Of children under
five years Of age who died in New York
tn 1904 was more than $500. Last year
death rate from nearly 81 per thousand to
slightly more than SO per thousand. In
other words, in numbers there are far
less children dying in New York today
than there were ten years ago, notwith-
standing the tremendous increase in pop
ulation: During the past decade the re-
port of the department Of health shows
that the reduction in infant mortality be-
tween the first fve-year period of 1904
to 1908 and the second f1ve-year period Of
1909 to 1913 has been % per cent for chill
dren under one year OF age, % per cent
for children between one and two years.
- DER cent for children between two and
Ave years and % per cent for all children
under five years Of age.
Although much progress has been made
in organizing health work in city schools
In all parts Of the coun-
Health Work try In recent years,
most rural communities
III ocnoo1s. have neglected this
phase Of the educational problem, accord
ing to DR.. Taliaferro Clark of the United
States public health service, who has
just made a report to Surgeon General
cording to the last census report there
were more than 1O.50o.0OO pupils in at
tendance in rural schools and less than
100000 in city schools, and DIR. Clark
quotes these figures to show that the
majority of children of impressionable
age in the United States today are at
tending school without the advantages of
sanitary and medical supervision. In his
report to Surgeon General Blue he says
that the conditions are all the moro re-
grettable because of the presence in
many rural communities Of numerous
children who are suffering from durable
defects by reason Of the want Of skilled
medical advice.
"Organized health work In schools until
the present has been largely confined to
Cities" says Dr. Clark. "Our investi-
cations demonstrate the necessity Of the
extension Of this work to country dis
tricts, where reside SO large a number
of people without the advantage of in
struction relative to sanitary measures
the element of expense Is a serious con-
sideration. and it will be necessary to
demonstrate the money value Of school
hygiene in the resulting increased Ell
cheney Of the child asd improved COM
munity sanitation.
"a surprising number Of physical de-
fects are revealed by medical inspection
in the schools. The figures for Amer
lean school children are proportfonately
about the same as those for the school
children of England which were sum-
married. by J. A. Pease in a speech in
the house of commons. as follows:
Impaired eyesight, 10 per cent; Inn
paired hearing, 5 per cent; ear disease.
8 per cent; adenoids, 8 per cent: serious
decay of teeth. so per cent; tuberculosis.
per cent: heart disease. 2 per cent;
malnutrition, 10 per cent: mentally de-
fective, l per cent; backward children.
1875 per cent; abnormally gifted children,
3 per cent
1.-THE important point needing emphasis
is that many Of these defects. develop
mental and acquired, may be corrected In
them results in serious impairment Of the
health, growth and efficiency Of the child.
1.-THE educational facilities provided by
community for its children is re-
liable index of the culture and prosperity
of that community. The sanitary pro-
visions for schools Is likewise a fairly
accurate measure of community knowl-
edge of sanitary matters. Our investi-
cations have revealed a widespread need
for instruction in rural sanitation. which
can be given in large measure through
rural schools Certainly no better means
can be devised for determining the origin
and extent Of certain communicable DIS
eases, for tracing and controlling foci
Of tuberculosis for the control of the
TO u;n nf child.
hood. and for the eradication of small
pox in rural districts than a general
and properly conducted medical super
vision Of the schools.
'It is unfortunate that the school year
in rural districts seldom exceeds six
months In many communities it Is even
less. Any loss of time in school attend
ance to a child of such limited oppor-
tunity for education is a serious matter.
and is the more regrettable because alb
sences due to sickness are largely pre-
ventable"