San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-28
Hundreds Are Taught the
Game Of Health and Many
Defective Ones Brought
Up to Normal.

interesting talk before recent meet
ing of the ConoDus Club in which he
told of the good accomplished by the
"health game" and of the appalling
conditions found among some OF tire
children of the schools. 1t was an
nounced that Red Cross funds were
available and the work would be con-
tinuet. during the current year. Doctor
Pagenstecher said:
1.-The subject assigned me for dis
'cussion is Health Center As / see
it the words health center were de-
vised to designate a place where health
was not regained but where health,
natural endowment for most people,
is held in the lead against disease.
In our health center, however, we have
gone a little further. Besides instruct
ing the children and teachers the
fundamental principles of retaining
health we correct or have corrected
| physical and dietary defects. .....
MY ideas of Health Center have
been put into operation for about two
years now and | believe that the
results are as gratifying as the find
ings are appalling.
ITO have the children cooperate in
this movement we copied some of the
ideas as put forth by the child health
anu Tue VI
Interior and called the entire project
"A game the children the contestants
the fundamental principles of health
the rules and gold paper stars the
scores Each child was examined to
see if eligible to play and if not was
gotten into physical condition so that
he could compete with the other CON
testants'
Chart Kept of Scores.
"The score cards were large charts
with the names Of each contestant,
place for his age, his weight, and his
normal weight, for age and height, and
column for his actual weight, with
nine similar columns for each scho Hstic
month.
"The game was played every month !;
that is the children were weighed ard
M Isured and their weight recorded
on the score card. If child vas up
to or above his normal weight for age
and height, he was given a star Is a
symbol of merit. II at any time his
weight fell below the normal, his star
was taken away for the month, and
If he came IN to normal, was given a
star for that month. As small as n
star may seem, the children actually
put forth great effort to obtain one.
month the children were regularly in
spceted as to personal cleanliness by
the nurses so that they would retain
their eligibility to play.
"They were instructed as to the
proper use of handkerchief and tooth
brush by means of drill which was
put to song and IlJs'2 The nurses
at stated intervals male class talks IN
personal and dietary hygiene, and the
lchiid en- were invited to consult wit
tn staff and discuss their medical
y~sblems.
Some Special Examinations.
"The examinations for practical pur-
poses in our public schools we're limit
ed to an examination of eyes, ears
nose, throat, teeth, and state of nutri-
ton, and if indicated, special T. B.,
abdominal and cardiac examinations
were made. In my experience children
of primary grades have defects which
are located above the chin in % per
cent of cases, and as the project is
a practical one our work was confined
TO the plan as outlined. Since the
actual height and weight as compa' ed
to the normal are an absolute index
as TO the child's state of heath,
whenever we found no defects above
the chin to account for poor nutrition.
i've requested the parents permission
for a special examination at which she
was invited to be present.
"The only defects mentioned below
are those which could b, very easily
corrected. We examined 2249 children
and of this number 1852 or GO per
rent were found to have easily cor
rected defects. OF these tDJ had one
defect; 413 had two defects; 249
mad three defects; 100 mad four defects
BS had five defects, and three had
six defects.
"Eighty-two boys had defective
vision; 81 girls, a total of 143 or q
per cent of the entire number exam
ned.
1.-Two hundred sixty-four boys had
defective teeth; 1913 girls, a total of
i37 or 90 per cent of the number ex-
imined.
Three hundred seventy-six boys had
defective tonsils; 237 girls. total Of
j13 or 20 per cent of the entire
Echool.
"Three hundred seventy-six boys had
adenoids; 237 girls, total of 613 or
30 per cent of the entire school.
1.-Two hundred ninety-one boys were
nder weight; $50 girls, total of CAT
hildren underweight or % per cent
= the entire school.
Acts In Advisory Capacity.
"With this vast number of defective
hildren there was great task before
he staff because the Red Cross made
10 attempt TO actually remedy any de-
bets. We simply acted in an advisory
apacity; instructins the parents in
That TO do and how to do it. If
hese children had physician or den
ist we made every effort to have them
70 to their family physician or dentist,
ut il these were not available or if
he parents were destitute, then with
he parents consent, we made all ar
Engagements at the various charity in
fitutiOns and the necessary work was
one. At no time was there ever any
lea of having patients referred to a
ew doctor. We worked in harmony
it'll the profession.
"0f the 143 defective eyesights, 81
81 per cent had glasses fitted to
Jrrect vision.
"Of the 637 defective teeth, 353 or
B per cent had their teeth repaired.
"0f the Glib defective tonsils, 1S3
80 per cent had their tonsils and
ienoids removed.
"0f the G47 underweight, 391 or co
er cent were built up to their nor
al weights.
The following number of children
ere excluded from school for reasons