| Show HEALTH HINTS FOR THE SCHOOL ROOM following is a synopsis of a lecture on health hints for the school room delivered by dr charles F wilcox of 0 this city before the last meeting of the salt lake conaty teachers held on saturday january IMPURE AIR AND ventilation the subject of ventilation for the purpose of securing an adequate supply of pure air is one of much importance the dangers of impure air water and food depend largely upon the fact that media may be introduced into the body particles of organic matter living or dead which tend to produce disease in the recipient the impurities of air which are to be disposed ol of by ventilation are for the most part derived from the human body chiefly from respiration the impurities of air due to the presence of human beings consist mainly of carbonic acid ted hydrogen and oi of various organic compounds mostly in the form ot minute particles of organic matter of uncertain structure out but extremely prone to decomposition it is usual to estimate the degree of impurity by the amount of carbonic acid present although carbonic acid itself is not injurious to health unless present in much greater proportion than that in which it will be found in quite crowded habitations it is imperceptible to the sense and is merely taken as the measure of im purity because of the readiness with which tests can be made to determine its presence repeated tests prove that when it is present in excess of 6 parts in volumes there are many organic impurities present which have an injurious effect upon the system saturated with it ir the following lowing lol test is quite satisfactory let a person having a normal sense of smell enter a room from the fresh air if he detect a musty or disagreeable odor there is an excess of carbonic acid impurity present and also minute par tides nicles of organic matter undergoing decomposition the evil effects of breathing such air are headache languor loss of appetite sore throat and the general lowering of the vital forces rendering the body liable to contract any of the abc acc accidental diseases which happen to be prevailing at the time the detect in most places for ventilation is in the air supply many people suppose they have made all necessary provision for ventilation if they have put in tubes or openings for the escape of foul air forgetting that these outlets have no effect if corresponding inlets are not provided it is not necessary that the outlets be of greater diameter than the inlets as some have supposed to allow for the expansion ot ol the heated air as the velocity of the outgoing current is us bally greater than the coming in the real difficulty of a perfect system of heat and ventilation is the expense in cold weather the air must be warmed to secure comfort it must be changed to secure ventilation the changing of the air carries on off heat the loss of which must be supplied by fuel which fuel costs money the greater the ventilation the more rapid the bhangu and the more heat required EXERCISE the ease and the completeness with which the functions of an organ or of an organism is performed depend to a great extent upon the frequency an and d regularity with which such functions are exercised hence comes the im ot of bodily exercise for the preservation ber of health bodily exercise means more than the development of muscle the nervous system requires exercise even to a greater extent than the mu it is worry that kills not work it is estimated that exercise equivalent to a walk of eight or nine miles a day is is required to maintain the body in a healthy state the majority of trades and bodily occupations demand at least this amount ol of work one of the most important questions with regard to physical exer exercise cibe is the extent boand manner in it u should be provided for in a proper system of education ariere are three classes of exercise in vogue i 1 the gymnastics of the germans 2 the swedish system which consists in a variety of simple though varied movements 3 and the english system or rather want of system consisting largely of athletic games and contests of various kinds the best form of exercise is that which takes the person into the fresh air if the exer exerciser cism be of a pleasurable nature so much the better relaxation of the pent up nerves is best accomplished complis hed by gentle exercise without withof t fatigue e such exercise has a beneficial effect upon pon nutrition by stimulating the action of the heart accelerating acceleration 9 the circulation and increasing the respiration it thus increases the oxidation axi dation ot i waste products and leaves room for the assimilation of nutriment walking riding bathing boating etc comes u under rider this head persons engaged in mental work are not able to take as much physical exercise as those who are not expenditure of brain tissue is is not to be repaired by muscular exertion but by sleep and food and exercise in the open air sufficient to produce appetite and sufficient weariness to insure restful sleep exercise for the sake of health and comfort is not an end but a means yet if this means can be made to secure t to the person an end agreeable and pleasant in itself so much the better violent exercise i is s positively P injurious a and nd should not be indulged in to excess the most dangerous game that has been invented is foot ball several fatalities have resulted the past season and permanent injuries are frequent the attendance of a surgeon and attendant with dressing at each game of foot ball played at west point military academy is is compulsory the game of foot ball should either be modified or prohibited hibi ted TEST examinations AND GRA DINGi the danger of injury from overwork under excitement is is a very real one in many of our schools the system of pass examinations in which the standing of the pupil is to be determined not from the average results of his daily recitations average but from rom a single examination at the end of the year produces the greatest risks to health this is especially the case where the ambition and pride of the children are stimulated by competition for prizes medals etc such system of grading by a single final examination should not be used in ordinary schools the risk to health is too great it Is true the stimulus of competition is use jul with the majority ot of children as well as of adults but with some of them it is pretty sure to go too far the effects of mental strain are often aggravated bated by the he use of stimulants taken to spur the flagging energies in all cases they finally increase the very discomforts comforts dis which they at first seemed to relieve SCHOOL AGE children should not begin regular school work from printed books under the age of ten years their education should commence in the nursery with object lessons instruction and oral kindergarten training should follow 10 up to the tenth year then when the brain is what it should be at ten the eyes will be the better able to hear bear the fatigue and the burdens which will be placed upon them children whose education is conducted upon this plan ian will far outstrip those who begin be f i n boa book work at six children th children ildren should not be kept at con sinuous work too long at one sitting mental fatigue and eye exhaustion are sure to follow the teacher should not demand too long hours of study particularly to memorize lessons which are as a rule beyond the comprehension of the child something will give way it the eyes do 40 not fail the health will if the eyes do give way nearsightedness ness is the result caused by overstraining during school hours the use of glasses then becomes imperative there is no reason leasot i why the little circular focusing r muscle of the eye should not give out just as the larger muscles tous cles elsewhere do illustrate biceps one writer says schools are absolute manufactories manu factories of the shortsighted it is also claimed that the number of persons who are compelled to wear glasses is in direct proportion to the increase of schools and particularly the b higher er institutions of learning it 1 do not wish to be understood that the schools are altogether responsible for this condition heredity plays a most prominent part I 1 parents with weak eyes or defective vision often transmit the condition to their offspring spring children who have inherited a pre disposition to such defects are almost certain under the present system of forcing to develop eye troubles at the very beginning of their school work As a result it frequently happens that children eight or ten years of of age have greater need tor for glasses than persons of fifty or sixty if 11 the condition described resulted in injury to the eye alone it would be bad enough but when we consider the train of evil results which follow the overstraining of the eye the effect is almost startling I 1 will merely mention a few among the many bt headache adache nausea hy hysteria chores chorea or st lituss dance melancholia insanity steady increase in the impair impairment merit of health as well as vision and not infrequently total blindness to preserve good eyesight insist upon sufficient sleep fresh air and good light rest the eyes frequently by looking i ng at distant objects particularly green fi fields elds or blue skies avoid tight clothing around the neck it retards regards circulation and causes congestion I 1 with the consequent headache disturbance ot of vision and vertigo avoid cross lights also strong lights falling directly into the eyes avoid sudden changes from darkness to vivid light do not use stimulants or drugs which affect the nervous system do not read when lying down or when mentally or physically exhausted pay special attention to the hygiene of the body tor for that which tends to promote the general health acts beneficially benefi cally upon the eyes among the first symptoms sym of failing sight is an excessive secretion of tears blurred vision burning and smarting of the eyelids loss of eye eve lashes and con gearion of either thi the lining membrane of the eyelids eye lids or the eyeball proper when such conditions arise the eyes should be immediately relieved from close application and bathed freely and frequently in cold water or water in which a little acid has been dissolved if improvement is not immediate and permanent perm ament a competent oculist should be consulted and the eyes fitted with a suitable pair of glasses in these notes I 1 have drawn liberally from a recent lecture on hygiene in university education by professor S billings M D deputy surgeon general of the il U S army |
