Show WHAT WB HAT H A sasai ito to EAT abod any FJ are your children eating clean food asks C houston goudiss points Point out sout hazards of neglected ed hand washing by C HOUSTON GOUDISS C 6 1 T DO feed my johnny correctly a young mother said to A me not long ago 1 I give him milk and eggs and vegetables and fruits and still he has colds would you mind telling me just how you reconcile that with all this talk about our newer knowledge of nutrition and how it children I 1 to have better health 1 I dont know I 1 answered but I 1 wonder if it would be convenient for me to meet johnny certainly she replied hell be home from school in a few moments he usually stops at the school playground for an hour or two to play dodge ball with the other boys A moment or two later johnny appeared and a more grimy little lad I 1 had seldom seen certainly not outside of a neighborhood such as we sometimes describe as underprivileged p eged johnnys hands were dirty his face was dirty his knees and legs were streaked with mud there was a lollypop lollipop lolly pop in his mouth though he quickly pulled it out when his mother made the introduction I 1 could not refuse his hand when he put it forth in a gentlemanly gest gesture urt though I 1 noted that some of its visible soil and doubtless some unseen germs were transferred to my own hand during the greeting no sooner had we unclasped hands than a tremendous sneeze all but engulfed johnny and in spite of his almost adult manner at meeting a stranger he had not learned to cover his nose and mouth during a sneeze the lolly pop was sprayed with moisture and germs two seconds later the child put the lollypop lollipop lolly pop back in his mouth a and nd continued sucking it and yet his mother could not understand der stand why he had colds contaminated food I 1 have pointed out many times that in my opinion a mothers foremost responsibility is her children a diet that takes into account all the recent amazing discoveries of nutritional science only by so doing can she hope to give them a sturdy body with straight bones strong responsive muscles a good circulation and sound healthy nerves but the parent who permits her offspring to eat with unwashed hands bands and thus take countless germs into his body with every mouthful of food is scarce scarcely ly giving that food a chance to build the kind of body and brain every mother desires for her child on the contrary she is risking the danger of grave illness for the microorganisms micro organisms which cause 92 out of every deaths from communicable muni cable diseases enter or leave the body through the mouth or nose health linked to cleanliness all of us have heard the expression cleanliness is next to godliness though to observe some of our school children eating their lunches one might have reason to believe that both mothers and school boards have forgotten this old copybook copy book maxim but it bears remembering every day and all day for the writer who said that soap and civilization go hand in hand was not far from the truth certainly soap and wa ter cleanliness and good health are inseparably linked and hab habits its of personal cleanliness are a vital factor in safeguarding children against infections and disease we often compare a correct diet to the bricks with which a well constructed building is erected but if food represents the bricks with which the edifice of health is built surely cleanliness is the mortar keeping everlastingly at it most babies are kept clean by their mothers because mothers know that they cannot keep their babies well if they do not keep them clean if the same careful policy were followed in later childhood it is almost certain that there would be less illness among children unfortunately many mothers relax their vigilance the moment their child is ready for school in some cases they believe that the child has had sufficient training and can be relied upon in other instances they believe or hope that further training will be supplied by the school A mother s job but the mere fact that a child is old enough to go to school does not make him less of a child nor does it make his mother motherless less of a teacher and guardian on the contrary it multiplies her responsibilities more than ever the child needs careful supervision of his health habits F for or now he is in daily contact with countless other youngsters from many types 0 of f homes more chances to pick up germs more chances to disseminate ge germs should he be permitted to go to school with if fles mothers must increase not decrease their vigilance they must assume responsibility for the observance serva uce of all the habits that safeguard health these include the daily bath the daily change into clean clothing the frequent washing of the hands hads and always before eating the twice daily brushing of the teeth regular elimination regular hours for meals and the necessary hours for outdoor play and for sleep what about the school mothers must remember and must emphasize to their children that diseases may often be traced to unclean hands and to germs sprayed in the air by persons having coughs and colds teach your children to muffle every cough and sneeze in a handkerchief and be sure they have a handkerchief handy for the purpose teach them to keep their fingers out of their mouths likewise pencils and other objects teach them to wash the hands and face frequently if they are to carry out this last instruction it is imperative that soap and towels be available in school washrooms wash rooms as well as at home investigate conditions at the school your child attends it if facilities are not adequate do something about it either arouse other mothers to help rectify the omissions omissions 0 or r failing that have your child carry soap and paper towels from home by teaching cleanliness to your children by making it a regular part of their training you will help to safeguard their health and the health of every other child with whom they come in contact in their daily lives Q C houston goudiss 1938 36 above ourselves it is vanity to want to be superior to someone else it is wisdom to want to be superior to ourselves joseph fort newton |