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intensify these conditions, the ordure side of the cellar was unprovided with windows, doors, or any other openings, by which the cellar could be thoroughly ventilated. There is but one privy-seat for every twenty-five pupils. The urinals are simply pine board without lining.

CHURCHES.

The Physician as an Educator of the Public.-There is, as a rule, even in the newest churches, no improvement in the matter of construction and ventilation. In those buildings that need those adjuncts most, the least provision is made for the comfort or health of the members. It is surprising how little has been said or written on the subject. As to some of its most objectionable features, nothing had appeared until last year. At my suggestion the editor of the Medical Record wrote a brief article on the subject. It is true, when the congregations are small, and are in the church for only a short time once a week, little harm is done. When the contrary is the case, however, the mischief is incredible. At the early masses on Sundays in the Catholic churches, in the large parishes, the congregations are immense, quickly replacing each other, without any ventilation except that of opening the windows and doors. Thus it happens that for hours at a time the foul atmosphere is breathed by many congregations without change of air. This is especially the case in the winter season, at the Lenten service, and during missions. During the most solemn portion of the service the deleterious effects of the poisoned air breathed and rebreathed by such vast numbers of persons is especially noticeable.

As the congregations lean forward the pressure on the lungs. and diaphragm partly retards respiration, and when this pressure is relaxed, the deep inspiration that naturally follows is succeeded by a chorus of coughing, produced by the exhalation of the lungs irritating the mucous membrane of the upper airpassages.

As has been already shown, it is very difficult to remedy these defects in buildings already constructed. Something, however, might be done to mitigate an evil of which both pastors and people are unconscious. In the churches referred to, a few minutes ought to be allowed between the masses for ventilation, and thus there would be better air, and the necessity of

exposing the people to cold draughts would be avoided. I am convinced that much of our catarrhal affections are contracted in these buildings. The danger of propagation of contagious diseases in an atmosphere such as we find in these churches, especially in wet weather, when the windows are down and doors closed, cannot be estimated.

In addition to crowd-poison, there is another element of contagion-not the least insidious because it is unnoticed-through the medium of clothing of persons attending those sick with contagious diseases. Through this cause, many a worshipper unconsciously carries home with him the seeds of disease. I would respectfully suggest that the reverend pastors advise those in attendance upon the sick referred to to stay away, and not to come to mass while they are in attendance upon the sick. Thus they would render valuable service to the cause of preventive medicine, as their advice would be immediately acted

upon.

Unquestionably, one of the most important problems of the day is the intervention of the physician in education. Daily, and I might say hourly, this fact is becoming more apparent. Ornamentation of school-houses, a mania for a smattering of the ologies, has gone on to the serious damage of nerve and brain; instead of physical training keeping pace with the mental, and these conditions conducing to health, we have, as a result of cramming and bad hygienic condition, overstrain of the nervous system, and general physical deterioration. You see the evidence of this abnormal condition in the groups of either sex going to and from our schools of higher education. It would be interesting, if the time permitted, to trace the child's physical condition from home to the earlier class lessons at school.

We see in these draughts on vitality predisposing causes to irritability of brain and nervous system, and these laying the bases in after-life of conditions that shade off to the dangerous boundary line between sanity and insanity.

It was but the other day that this force and strain in education were illustrated in this city. A youth of great promise whom I had known from early childhood, and whose beautiful accent and graceful gesticulation at many a school exhibition thrilled the audience with delight-this hot-house flower of education, after going through the preparatory school, went direct to college, and passed through its curriculum with dis

tinction. In place of giving this youth time for rest and recuperation, he was hurried on to a theological seminary to prepare for the priesthood. The result was that his health began to fail, and he finally left the seminary a physical wreck, and died in an insane asylum. Scarcely have the notes of his requiem died away, than the doleful knell again strikes the tympanum; this time from New Jersey, and from the famous college of Princeton. It appears that an epidemic broke out in this college, and on last Friday it had been decided by the faculty to adjourn the term, and to close the college. It is reported that upwards of thirty students have been stricken with a disease of a malarial type, thus far resulting in three deaths. The faculty ordered an investigation of the water of the wells in the vicinity of the college, which was found to be contaminated by a cesspool in the immediate vicinity. How much better it would have been had these precautions been taken preceding, rather than after, the outbreak of the epidemic!

Have we not here another evidence of the laxity of sanitary laws in these institutions? Have we not in these instances evidence of the need of the intervention of the physician, in education, whose judicious counsel might have saved valuable lives? There should be in these colleges an annual course of lectures on hygiene; especially in our theological seminaries. These young men are soon to fill important positions, where they will be the mentors of their congregations, and in matters pertaining to public health, would be productive of much good. Instead of their being able to impart information of this character, we find them too often sad examples of ignorance of the laws of health.

Not only is physical training in these institutions ignored, but at their commencements the addresses to the graduates contain nothing which would direct them to govern themselves, or to acquire a knowledge of that wonderful complex machine, the human body. Instead of this being the case, we have in these addresses a paucity of ideas and rhetorical vaporings, which evaporate as rapidly as the exudation from the teeming capillary vessels under a midsummer sun. Gush is the order of the day, and those who pander most to this morbid sensationalism are usually selected on these occasions as the mouthpiece of the Faculty. Though the progress is slow in effecting a reform of this magnitude, yet substantial progress has been made, and

the enthusiasm manifested on this subject by this great National Association at its meetings in Buffalo and Atlanta is evinced by the unanimous passage of a resolution recommending the appointment of a physician to the Boards of Education, to promote the sanitary interests of the schools. We have strong assurance that its potent influence will avail and effect this

reform.

Finally, the pioneers of the movement may not live to see this most desirable result accomplished, but the seed that has been planted will assuredly bear fruit, and extend far, and perhaps in some far-off corner in the distant future it will fructify and blossom. The wayside flower is not the less attractive because of its loneliness. The wayfarer is attracted by the fragrance of its odor, and on unfolding its leaves there finds recorded the name of its planter who has passed away long, long ago.

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