The Detroit times., 1915-11-04
Parental Ignorance
az n. ADDIN0ToN BRUCE,
Author of THE Riddle Of Personality
Psychology and Parenthood." etc.

That parents, as a class. are still far from ap
preciating the harmful effects OF seemingly triv-
ial ailments Of childhood is clearly brought out
by some statistics issued by the Chicago School
of Sanitary Instruction. and quoted in the Jour
nal of the American Medical Association"
These statistics relate to the results OF the
medical examination made in the schools OF Chi
cago last year. They leave no doubt that chill
dren are much more numerously afflicted with
physical defects than In commonly supposed, and
also that there Is real need for a campaign Of
education among parents to persuade them OF
the importance Of having these defects remedied
without delay.
Altogether, the medical examiners in the Chi
cago schools passed on 75,476 children. or these.
45.176 were found ailng in some way. and 35.425
were advised to seek treatment.
In the case of every of the IS 425 note
was sent to the parents, telling them Of the
nature Of the ailment and suggesting the kind
OF treatment which ought 10 be adopted Only
40 per cent OF the parents TO whom such notes
were sent acted on the advice given them. In
detail the figures are:
OF 1854 cases OF adenoids, 1877. or about Is
per cent were treated; Of 1854 cases OF dis
eased tonsils. 223, or hardly more than per
cent, were treated; of 1854 cases OF discharging
ears, treatment was sought in only lis cases, or
less than 10 per cent.
Children to the number OF 1854 were found to
be suffering from defective vision. correction Of
which was secured in 1926 cases, or little
over IL per cent. Actual disease OF the eye was
found in 7.449 or these only 134, less than
per cent, were treated.
II Is impossible to believe that the thousands
of Chicago parents who according to these sta
tistics, neglected to act on the advice given
them. were really Indifferent 10 the welfare Of
their children. Their neglect can be attributed
only to Ignorance OF the possible after-efects
and complications Of the ailments in question
They do not know that adenoids enlarged ton
sils. and running ears may have consequences
that will not only weaken their children phys
ically but also enfeeble them mentally.
They do know that there is direct rela-
ton between these throat and ear ailments and
more serious diseases which may mean years OF
suffering to the children and perhaps hurry them
to untimely deaths.
They do not know that children with defective
vision and eye diseases OF any kind are handi.
capped In their ability TO study and are also
under perpetual strain that may eliminate In
Ihysterical attacks nervous breakdown
They do not know these things. for II they did
| II Is safe to say that such amentable showing
as that revealed by The Chicago statistics would
never be made.
| But IL Is time that every parent knew the facts
which modern medical research has brought 10
| light regarding the physical defects OF child
hood. and their physical, mental and moral
afterefects
To this end all agents In public instruction
from the newspaper and magazine editor to the
social worker I'm the cltys sums should heartily
and earnestly cooperate.
! Otherwise things will remain much as indi
Gated by the experience of the Chicago medical
examiners, the taxpayers money spent for the
medical examination Of school children will b
largely wasted. and the health and virity of the
iaation viii continue to be seriously endangered