Evening star., 1914-10-04

C1SlOn OI aSSOCldtloH Ol lucas, anu Idplu Cal
culation. He made six tests,-two before
were being treated, and two after year had
elapsed. The time and all technic and meth
DDS of the test were absolutely uniform.
These children were also taught how to
chew their food properly, and the action of
saliva was made clear to them. They were
visited in their homes at irregular intervals,
and their work was closely scrutinized.
During the next few months eight more
were dropped for failing to carry out some
essential of the test,-neglect in brushing
| the teeth, food boiling, or washing down
boluses of food with tea or water before they
we're completely masticated.
Every assistance was accorded the chill
dren in perfecting their oral conditions; but
not one word was said to aid their mental
condition, except as it concerned their mouth
toilet And nothing was done or said to
single them out from the rest of the school.
In fact, so unobtrusive was the work that
many of the teachers had not the slightest
idea as to which of their pupils were in the
manifested could be definitely ascribed to
oral hygiene alone.
When, after year of this regime, the final
records were made by DR.. Wallin, the aver
age gain in the psychological tests for the
twenty-seven children was 99.8 per cent,
almost double what even the most sanguine
of the committee had predicted it would be.
Not only was the mental gain most pro-
nounced, but distinct physical improve
ment was evident in every case, and a spirit
of self-respect that seemed to overcome the
tendency toward truancy, disobedience, and
incorrigibility had developed. The more the
children had need of it, the more they
seemed to improve.
One girl made the astonishing increase of
444 per cent, and another 101 per cent Six
of the pupils completed their thirty-eight
weeks of schoolwork in thirty -four weeks,
and one bright boy did two years work in
one year. Several girls who started the tests
with sallow complexions and pimpled faces
at their conclusion had bright, clear eyes and
skins and rosy cheeks. One child, who had
suffered greatly from fatulency and sick
headache, was entirely relieved.
This experiment, now noted in medical
annals, proved conclusively that by keeping
the teeth in perfect condition, and living up
to the laws of mouth hygiene, twenty-seven
children had almost doubled their mental
ability, had gained in strength and in bodily
and mental endurance, and had developed
marked improvement in personal appear
ance and in their moral natures.
INONE will deny that the community
| DeuelCS economically anu socially
when its children are improved physically,
mentally, and morally. So there should be
no question as to the necessity of nation
wide movement favoring oral prophylaxis,
particularly when it is remembered that
only eight per cent. of the total population
of the United States have any conception
of the value of teeth or pay proper attention
to them. The other ninety-two per cent. are
content to suffer the pangs of toothache-
until they summon sufficient fortitude to
have them 4yanked out"-and go through
life with deformed faces, offensive breaths,
and unhealthy bodies.
More than seventy-fve per cent. of all
school children in the world suffer from some
form of dental disease. And yet we are, in
the main, neglecting this most important
branch of preventive medicine 1t is true
that some of our more advanced cities are
interesting themselves, to greater or less
degree, in the work, and the dentists-to
their great honor as Woodworking, con-
scientious, and learned profession-are CIV
ing literally of their time and thought in the
effort. But the merest surface of the dental
needs of the human race has thus far been
touched. 1t will require years of education,
with inconceivable tact and patience, to
drive home the idea that clean tooth rarely
or never DECAYS. that no tooth ever can bo