The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-01-16
Parent-Teachers' Association

I
MEDICAL ADDRESS BY DIR. LONGsDoRF
The regular monthly meeting of the
Parent Teachers Association was held
in the auditorium of the high school
Thursday evening. The attendance
was small. This was owing, no doubt,
to the fact that there was much of an
entertaining character in the town.
At the Methodist church the Victor
Gospel team had charge of the services
and the mems meeting at the home of
S. B. Lippincott took number Of
people. Those who were at the high
school, however, did not regret coming
out on a cold evening, as the address
by DR.. H. E. Longsdorf was very en-
tertaining and instructive.
The exercises were opened by Sc
lection by the high school orchestra.
The boys composing this orchestra
made their first appearance just before
Christmas and they showed on Thurs
day evening that they have rapidly
improved. Their performance was
quite creditabIe.
Kenneth Perinchief sang solo and
then DR.. Longsdorf began his address.
He said he had been asked to speak
on the subject of proper diet for child
rem, but if he had been allowed to
choose his own theme he might have
taken something that to him was of
more Importance, as the question of
proper diet for child may be summed
up in very few words. He had, there,
fore, decided toitake more general
subject. Children had always been an
interesting subject to the speaker,
probably because of his calling as
medical inspector of schools and his
tprofessien of a doctor. In connection
with the welfare movement he had
recognized that the good of the child
from food standpoint could be better
studied than from any other way. A
complete analysis of the neglect of
children in the matter OF food and
other things would lead to the unfor-
tunate conclusion that the abuse of
alcohol was behind more than IS per
cent. of the cases that had been looked
into.
DIR. Longsdorf said he had in mind
/
out, and would prove beneficial He
thought that if each real live organiza-
| ton in Mount Holly would use one or
two real live individuals from their
membership and these form general
central committee, the latter might,
after careful consideration, select three
members or individuals who would, in
effect, be the home missionaries of
Mount Holly. This organization or
committee would be compelled to give
some time and attention to the work,
but the results that would undoubted--
| ly be obtained would be Of great bene-
| fit. 1t had been his good fortune to
see plan similar to the one he sug-
gested worked out with beneficial re-
suits before he came to Mount Holly.
He did not believe there was any ex-
cuse for real, downright poverty in
Mount Holly, but it would be neces-
sary to get at the cause of the cases
that are reported and then find the
suitable remedy. The thought sug-
gests itself that much charity is not
charity at all, as it tends to make some
| feel dependent upon society for aid and
takes from them the spirit of indepen-
dence. Right here the speaker said he
wanted to say that Mount Holly is
not worst town in the world by any
means-neither is it the best. 1t has
most excellent schools, a progressive
and generous class of business men
and many willing workers in all classes
There are charitable institutions that
are doing great work, and there are
many other things that should make
one feel proud to live in Mount Holly,
and one of the grandest thoughts is
that everybody is trying to make
Mount Holly better.
Inspection and examination of the
child is of great Importance. In his
work at the school as medical inspect
or he had given these items especial
attention, Each child is measured and
weighed, teeth, nose, throat, lungs and
sight carefully tested. These are all
for record and comparison. 1t has |
been proved beyond all possibility of |
contradiction that poor teeth and dis |
eased gums are important factors in a |
majority of the ailments Of life. While |
not entirely agreeing on the subject, |
most authorities admit that diseased |
tonsil cannot serve any good purpose |
and very often it is not only menace |
to health but to life ITSELF If it is true
that the diseased tonsil is the real |
cause of much of our rheumatism OF
certain type, and rheumatism, in turn,
is the cause of much of our valvular
heart disease, and these are only few |
of the many things the tonsils are re- !
sponsible for, what are we to do with /
them? When warned of the danger OF |
the tonsil get the best medical advice |
and act accordingly.
There did not seem to be any neces-
Ia r
knowledge of heart lesion or diseased |
lung tissue, defective hearing and eye
sight. When any of these are dis
covered the parent of the child is |
notified and given an opportunity to |
While on the subject of inspection the |
speaker said he desired to call atten-
ton to the danger from certain con-
tagious children's diseases that some |
of the laity and unfortunately some of |
the medical profession consider as not
being very dangerous. Before taking |
up the particular cases he wanted to |
speak on vaccination which is one of |
the most important things that can be |
spoken of. He spoke of the early |
struggles for vaccination and showed !
clearly the great benefits that have re-
suited from its being universally OBJ |
served. In his service as medical in |
spector he had met with some oppo- |
sition and inquiry on the subject of
vaccination and he wanted to impress
upon all the importance of having this |
act performed.
Other diseases to which he would |
call attention are measles and whoop-
ing cough. Some have raised the |
point that since children seem bound |
to have these diseases it might be just
as well to allow nature to take her
course. In answer to this it might be
said that it is the bounden duty of a
physician to prevent disease Of any
kind with its consequent mortality
The statement next made, DIR. Longs
dorf said, would doubtless surprise
many, but it is a fact that measles
kills from two to ten children in one
hundred cases. This applies to the
disease that is really measles. Bron-
chial pneumonia is most common
complication of measles and the NOR
tality of this disease, complicating
measles, runs from Is to 40 per cent.
Measles are contagious during the
stages of invasion and eruption but the
best authorities dc not believe it is
contagious during the skin peeling
stage. The latter does not apply to
scarlet fever or scarletina. Most
authorities agree that the latter are
passed on by direct transmission
usually. 1t is believed that the virus
of measles retains its life only few
hours outside the body. There does
not seem to be necessity to close a
school in the presence of an epidemic
but the speaker did think it very
important that eVerV case of measles,