Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-16
SAYS Ills OF
CHILDREN CAN
BE ELIMINATED
New York Woman Tells
Teachers Big Work Could
Be Done in Five Years.

Bismarck, N. D., Nov. 16.-That it,
is, possible in five years to eliminate
all of the so-called childrcn's diseases,
is the. statement of NJ. Grace Osborne,
of New York city. assistant crusad.
executive Of the Notwithstanding as
ISOLATION OF the United States.H Miss !
Osborne has been in the state for al
most a month, appearing in the county
institutes under tho direction Of the
North Dakota department Of public
Instruction. Her work, has been to
assist the teachers Of the state III. Civ
ing the health instruction required in
the first four grades by a recently
passed North Dakota law.
That theregis a vast economic loss
in the prevalence of these. diseases
was pointed out by Miss Osborne, be-
they weaken some Vital organ of the
body, the eyes, ears, throat and heart
being the ones most commonly az
fected.
IF in the case of ZACH Of the chill
dren's diseases, the proper quaran-
tine was enforced, when the illness
first became known, n the home
where the patient was siok was
properly fumigated after the recovery
! Of the first patient, chiidren's dis
eases would be stamped out in five
years declared the leader OF the
children's health crusade. in speaking
OF the general effects Of the move
ment. "1n the past. we have been
rather proud of having all the dis
eases children are supposed to be heir
to. but the fact. that these diseas SEES
each. frequently leaves it's weakened
organ in some vital point of the BODY
has caused medical authorities to
count the cost and to begin 6. war to
restrict rather than to propagate the
disease"
.Ma%lnutrition Touched.
That malnutrition. which is usual
~ the cause of the lack of weight in
children, even the offspring Of the
wealthy is both an economic as we'll
as a health problem is an added
statement of Miss Osborne. 1T has
been definitely proved by exhaustive
Investigation" declared Miss Osborne,
that the school child who is from
seven>to eight per cent below normal
weight>for it's height. takes an addi-
uonal year to complete the work of
the grade schools. This is a big eco
nomic factor in cities like New York,
MY home. where this year. using a
double shift system Of teaching. ten
thousand children remain who cannot
find a seat in any one of the grad
schools. What it costs civiliza ton for
the added years instruction for it's un-
derweight> children would stagger the
world were it possihl to reduce it to
dollars and cents. The average cost
of a grade school pupil for instruc.
is thirty-seten cents a. day.
remember thai in some Of the citiet
here in Norti, Dakota. I saw the stat,
lstlcs OF children undergeight and j.
was a number close to 400. If thest
children were seven per cent under,
weight n they take the averaE.
YEAR more to their grade school. i
Ffor that town alone"
Advocates ..Ptcsasant instruction"
. Miss Osborne is an advocate Of tn,
instruction of children in health mat
. tiers, pleasantly not preachily'' ant
! the health crusade is made a matte,
of games as far as possible. The cru
y a is in the attempt to get the chill
dren OF the public schools to do +:
number OF things which are the ele
ments Of good health as habits. tn,
same as the older generations of to
day wash their faces Miss Osborn,
also has found that the children O
! a community are powerful advocate
of sanitation and other things which
: go. with good health. She also de
!, clares it is possible to eliminate flies
carriers Of disease to many people
in entire counties il it is possible I,
get entire enforcement or thorough
cooperation of the application OF Ger
|. tain rules. 1t is her statement tina
elimination Of flies has been accom-
phshed in counties under her direc
ton. ate
Miss Osborne will remain in Nortl
Dakota for another week and Will
the assistance of the Fargo school
will present a health pageant befor
the meeting of the North Dakot,
State Teachers association.