The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-23
NEED Of MEDICAL
SUPERVISION IN
COUNTY IS SHOWN
Short Course UncoverS Fact
That Fresh Air and Plenty
Of Rooms Does Not Insure
Healthy Children.


The fact that fresh air and the roony
spaces of rural communities are not
suitlcient ingredients to insure a
healthy growth to- children has been
established in twelve communities of
Shelby. county In the past six weeks
through the agricultural short course
conducted by w. NJ Landess, county
agent, and Miss Mary MCGOWAN, home
demonstration agent, under the auspices
OF the county board of education.
During these six weeks $500 school
children We're given medical examina
IONS by members of the faculty of the
University of Tennessee Medical coll
lege, Memphis. and county practition-
ers. This resulted In the discovery Of
large percentage Of children suffer-
ing from either defective teeth, ade-
notds, eye troubles or malnutrition, or
Two or more of these troubles at once.
Frequent evidences were found of ar
rested mental and physical development
due to these defeetions. An especially
large percentage of teeth troubles was
discovered. Much pyorrhea was found
and one girl was examined who had no
less than Is decayed teeth in her mouth.
This little girl was in an anemic con-
dition because of the bad teeth.
Communicable diseases Of several
kinds were also disclosed by the eXami-
nations.
One Of the immediate results of all
this, Mr.. Landess, said, was to arouse
throughout the county strong senti-
ment for medical supervision in the
rural schools OF Shelby. las result"
said Mr.. Landess, 1.-The way has been
paved for putting a medical supervision
plan which the county board of edu-
cation has already drafted"
Too Much Can Food.
The large percentage of children un-
der weight and suffering from malnur
triton, the county agent said further,
demonstrated one grave disadvantage
Of the South's one-crop system. The
children of the county need more nour,,.
ishing foods such as eggs and milk, "
he said. There are not enough cows
and chickens on the Shelby county
farms. Too many children in the rural
communities are being fed out of cans,
instead of getting the good food full
Of the Vital elements necessary to good
health and aornal growth"
Mr.. Landess declared that, as was
to be expected, more mouth, throat and
aye defects, as well as malnutrition
was found among the children of ten
ant parents. The children Of the. mer
and women who own their own farms
were found to be better nourished and
as a rule more healthy than the ten
ants children.
Another valuable result of the short
course was the enlistment Of the COM
minutes in the movement 10 loEln d
county council of agriculture, which is
to be linked up with state councils Of
agriculture and ultimately. with the Ma
tional Federation of farm bureaus. Thu:
each community of Shelby county i
ready to participate in the effort te
mobilize the farm interests Of the ma
ton and help give the agricultural eles'
ment real voice in the nations af'
fairs and do much for the welfare. o.
rural peoples that has not heretofore
been accomplished.
. Each community named a represent.
alive to the county council and
meeting will be held in Memphis a.
the Chamber of Commerce on Marcf
. to perfect the organization OF thai
council.
The plan for improvement Of the ten ten,
community and much favorable senti'
ment aroused. The system proposes q
long-term lease Of three to five, years
instead of the one-year lease which !
is expected will result in keeping ten
ants on the land and 3 diversified crol
system which will build up the SOIL
fertility instead of tearing it down