CHILD OF TO-DAY IS STRONGER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18468, 21 May 1928, Page 15

CHILD OF TO-DAY IS STRONGER.

OBSERVATIONS ON MEDICAL WORK IN SCHOOLS. (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Records of school medical work in New Zealand show that in recent years the children of the Dominion have not only improved in general health and physique, but suffer to a less extent trom remediable defects. It is interesting to note that similar progress is observed in other countries. With regard to England, Sir George Newman, Chief Medical Officer, Board of Education, England and Wales, writes as follows in his last annual report;— I do not think there can be much doubt that the physical condition and capacity of elementary school children throughout the country shows definite improvement (and not the reverse) during the last twenty years. From the data available it seems the child of to-day is stronger, taller and heavier than the child of 1907. He is a better nourished child. To what is this due? The medical care and supervision of the child before and during school life is producing its effect; better nurture, the remedy of infective conditions which gravely impair physique, school meals. phj*sical training, more fresh air and improved school sanitation can scarcely fail in the long run. The direct treatment of ailments and defects removes causes of weakness—less dental decay, less mouth-breathing, fewer inflamed tonsils and glands, less tuberculosis and anaemia, a decline in severe rickets. There has also been great reform in the social life of the people, better housing conditions, better feeding, more cleanliness, better clothing and more fresh air. Heredity is a mighty factor in the building of physique, but the influence of nurture runs it very close, and it has this advantage Oyer heredity, that we can control it directly. What sort of child do we want? What are the reasonable characteris-

tics which the employer demands? What does a parent desire for his child? Fir6t, a strong and healthy body; alert, and capable of energy and endurance, if not well trained at least subjected and accustomed to discipline and to steady and increasing nervous control. Secondly, he rightly asks for high character, truthfulness, honesty, diligence, orderliness, reliability, courtesy. These virtues do not spring full made from good physique, but a healthy mind goes well with a healthy and clean bod}', and to learn to harness and control the body is to learn selfknowledge and lay a basis of sound character. Thirdly, he would like creative capacity. Children forget mo?t of the facts of knowledge within a year or two of their acquisition, but the method and love of learning may be so instilled as to remain. Both are intimately associated with health of body and keenness of the senses. The dull, backward, sickly, or defective child is of no remunerative value to the emplo3 r er, because it cannot produce work or respond to the demands of industry. Hand-work, eye-work, measuring, weighing, checking, correct counting, clear writing—these are the means of good workmanship. It cannot be too clearly understood that health is not an artificial accomplishment, quickly acquired and easily maintained. It is a development of body and mind; a growth, slow in process; a habit, broadbased upon heredity and nurture; a balance of moderation in all things; a harmony of a sound mind in a sound body, good nutrition combined with steady nervous regulation. It is out of such health that creative capacity comes.

On the whole, the best children physically are the best children mentallj'; and a sound education system is not dependent in childhood on improved methods of education only, but on a body nurture, on better feeding, on nervous control and regulation, on a steady growth of bone, muscle and brain. We have been told on high authority that feeding wins more horseraces than training. Feeding is equally important for the child. But I would call the “feeding” total nutri tion, for this is certainly the first and perhaps the most important of all the requirements of individual and national health.