Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-06-22
LOW PHYSICAL STANDARDS

EdcH year SSVefal nu0QFeQ StuOeHtS
of the De Kalb Qll.) Normal school are
given a physical examination by the
physical director, MIR. r. Z. Wagner.
and his assistants.
The students, mostly girls between II
and %, are drawn from the better grade
OF middle class homes in the state. This
report would indicate that, as DIR Kris
tine Mann says, the standard of wom-
ans health n physical development is
low. Since these We're prospective
school teachers from the better grade
homes it is probable that the actual
standard i'll this state is at least 20 per
cent lower than the figures would indi-
cate.
Three hundred and twenty girls were
examined; 81 suffered from irregular
menstruation, "a We're c~onstipated, 81
had crooked backs. 70 had diseased
tonsils, II a bad teeth, two had pyor-
rhea. 13 had heart murmurs or other
heart troubles. 81 had poor vision, IL
poor hearing. M 7S flat feet.
When to this there were added the
results of the examinations of ~ boys.
making a total of 3G2. the percentages
were as follows. Enlarged tonsils, 81
patton. 10 per cent; defective sight. IA
per cent: crooked backs, Z per cent;
defective hearing, Az per cent: bad
teeth. AZ per cent: heart trouble. 80
per cent; kidney trouble, 2 per cent;
irregular m~enstruation among girls. IA
per cent. Two of the girls were sus-
pected to be ~tuberculous.
As to goiter. Mr.. Wagner writes;
"One-fourth to one-third of the girls
had enlargement OF the thyroid. OF
these only w or three We're of tho
exophthalmic type. One OF these was
having a good deal Of trouble from
thyroid i~ntoxication. Practically all of
the un{forO uroro cf Tho cr-no11Dl o5-l.o
cent type. Most OF them were small
and were giving little or no trouble.
The large number of cases of bad
tonsils. bad eyes, bad feet. and of
chronic constipation are the outstand-
!2s tcasvTes-not to be wondered at,
either: The amazing thing about it ali
and the n to which / found myself
giving the greatest attention was the
apparent indifference to these condi-
tons on the part Of the girls"
This was a group of prospective
school teachers. 1t is. reasonably GER
tain that the average woman is more
s~eif-neglected still. Most of the con-
require q little better planning and q
few minutes Of time daily. Crooked
back Is very disfiguring. 1t results
from poor muscular development and
faulty postures-both easily remedied
In many instances behind a%dolescent
gotter there lie neglected teeth OF ton
stls. Outlines poor digestion is at fault.
In many instances the trouble lies with
the pelvic organs.
Most OF the cases of irregular men
situations would yield to exercise in the
open air between periods. tepid baths,
regulation of the bowels. and mental
polse at the time Of the periods.
Constipation in girls IL to 90 will
yield to diet and proper bowel habits.
Enlarged tonsils come from neglected
colds. and these from poor ventilation.
Flat feet result from high heels, narrow
shoes, and pointed toes.
The reason so large q percentage OF
the women (and the men. too. for that
matter. are defective physically is be-
cause they are Indifferent. They are
indifferent because the standards are
low.