PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS 511 



In the schools of Elizabeth, N. J., in 1925 there were nearly 13,000 

 children examined for physical defects. These were placed in 

 four groups, depending on the condition of physical well-being. 

 Here the group that was in best health showed the best school 

 grades, while those in poorest health had the poorest grades. Boys 

 and girls, if handicapped with poor eyes or teeth, do not have a 

 fair chance in life's competition. In a certain school in New York 

 there were 236 pupils marked " C " in their school work. These 

 children were examined, and 126 were found to have bad teeth, 

 54 to have defective vision, and 56 to have other defects, as poor 

 hearing, adenoids, enlarged tonsils, etc. Of these children, 185 

 were treated for these various difficulties, and 51 did not take 

 treatment. During the following year's work 176 of these pupils 

 improved from " C " to " B " or " A," while 60 did not improve. 

 If defects are such a handicap in school, what will be their effect 

 on the chances of success in life outside ? 



The department of school hygiene deserves the earnest coopera- 

 tion of every young citizen, girl or boy. If each of us would 

 honestly help by maintaining quarantine in the case of communi- 

 cable disease, by observing the rules of the health department, by 

 acting upon reliable advice in case of eyestrain, bad teeth, or 

 adenoids, and most of all by observing the rules of personal hygiene, 

 the community in which we live, a generation hence, would be com- 

 posed of stronger, more prosperous, and more efficient citizens. 



Practical Exercise 36. Make an outline of all the health-protective agencies 

 in your community. 



Practical Exercise 37. Tell what is being done in your own school to check 

 on the health of the students. Is there any " follow up " of those who are 

 not well? 



Self-Testing Exercise 



Check the correct statements for your workbook : 



T. F. 1. The function of the U. S. Public Health Service is to 

 control my city health department. 



T. F. 2. Quarantine is a protective measure and should be obeyed. 



T. F. 3. Tuberculosis can be controlled entirely through sani- 

 tariums. 



T. F. 4. Children whose health is poor usually have poor school 

 grades. 



