ATTENTION TO HEALTH OF COUNTRY CHILDREN 37 



ownership may be provided. No pets may be present in 

 the home to stir up a feeling of companionship in the 

 children. In many ways, on account of a weak heredity 

 and a poor environment, the rural home may fail in secur- 

 ing the best conditions for child rearing. Probably more 

 effort is now given to 

 meet such needs in the 

 average city home than 

 in the average country 

 home. 



20. There Should Be 

 More Attention to the 

 Health of Country Chil- 

 dren. To prevent dis- 

 ease is to save money 

 to say nothing of more 

 important things. Costs 



come out of the same income, whether they are due to 

 diseases of plants, of animals, or of children. It is as 

 expensive to have to call in the doctor as the veterinarian. 

 The farmer is obliged to raise more bushels of grain to 

 the acre to keep up the regular income if he has also to 

 pay doctor's bills. In school, in some measure, children 

 are taught about the parts of their bodies, and how the 

 body should be cared for, just as they are taught to care for 

 dumb animals, but much more such education is needed. 



Animals cannot do their best work when they do not 

 feel well; nor can children. True, country boys may fol- 

 low the plow for an entire day, swallow their meals, bathe 

 infrequently, neglect to clean the teeth, or to change their 

 clothing if wet, and sleep at night in a closed bedroom, 

 and not know of any ill effects for years. This is because 

 nature has been kind to them in giving them strong bodies, 

 and because these evil habits are partly counteracted by 



FARM PETS. 



365435 



