Milford chronicle., 1920-07-09
RURAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

Vermont is the first state in the
Union to take up the systematic dem
tai inspection and treatment of the
/ country school children. This work is
/ being carried on by private subscrip-
/ tion, New York City is awakening to
! the need of better dental service and
has installed several dentists and
( three dental nurses in the public
I schools.
The medical profession is far
/ ahead of the dental. when il comes
! to service to the community. The
state of New York EMPLOYS graduate
nurses who inspect the children in
the schools and also follow up the
work in the homes.
The report of Mildred B. Curtis
goes to prove that the reason the
country air is so pure is because the
farmers keep all the bad air in their
bedrooms.
Country children reared in the op-
en-, where the food supply. fresh air
and sunshine are abundant should be
in healthy rugged physical condition,
but the average farmer has neither
the knowledge nor the inclination to
adapt these advantages for the health
of his children. Frequently the farm
er has a farm equipped with the most
modern ventilating system, but when
asked if the children sleep with their
windows opens, he either answers in
the negative, or does not know.
a boy of II was reported by his
teacher as being SLEEPY and lazy in
school," Investigation and close ques-
tiOning of the boy brought the reason.
He arose at O'Clock in the morning
to peddlemilk, was able to catch a
nap sometimes between and 8 o.
clock in the morning. providing the
younger children in the house were
quiet; attended school during the reg
ular sessions and went to bed imme-
diately after supper at night, to arise
again at 2 o'clock the next morning.
He had been working practically the
same hours for two years, but thru
the cooperation ofthe teacher. school
nurse and district superintendent the
requirement of the New cork State
labor law were forcibly brought to
the attention of the parent as well as
the employer of the boy. The lad was
thus enabled to secure normal hours
of sleep.
A boy was reported by his teacher
as retarded pupil, and this was his
daily program: Swept out the coun-
try grocery store before school in
the morning. acted as a caddy at the
golf club after school until dark, and
worked as pin boy in a bowling alley
until midnight. A talk with the boys
father put stop to his excessive la
Dor.
In the matter of health habits, one
finds less progress in the country
than in the city. and the deeper one
travels into the country the worse
conditions become.
To awaken these good people to the
necessity of safeguarding the physical
welfare of their children is one of
the most important missions of the
rural school nurse.
Even with the exercise of the
greatest amount of energy, enthusi-
asm, tact and charity, progress is I
rather slow.
Statistics show that the percentage I
of children having physical defects is I
much larger among country children I
than among city children. Statistics /
also show that for the last seven /
years the death rate in rural New /
York has been higher than the
death rate in New York city. When
we consider that three-fifths of the
school children in the United States
are attending rural schools a serious
national problem confronts US.
We depend upon the farmers and
the farms for our country's supply of
men and food, and we must consider
the needs of rural America, for the
very foundation of our country rests
largely upon our farming communi-
ties.
Health problems among country
children are most perplexing because |
of neglect Of habits, lack of health
interest and health education, lack OF
health organizations for rural
schools, such as free medical and den
tai clinics, dispensaries and commun-
ity health centers. Just few of our
states are beginning to employ
school nurses, school physicians and
to teach hygiene in country schools.
Vermont is the only state so far to
employ dentists. Let us hope that the
day is not far distant when both city
and country children will receive the
good health service to which all are
cordially entitled.