lessons are to be impressive. With a few well-known physiological facts as a foundation, it is comparatively easy to connect many of the simpler ill-health results and dangers with their causes. This usually makes possible the emphasizing, in a concrete way, of the need and value of observing the underlying hygienic law. But the test of the results must not be looked for in the ability to connect physical health effects with their cause, nor in any amount of clearly apprehended information about the body; rather it is to be found in the way this insight affects the daily life of the pupil. Probably the best test of the interest that the community takes in the matter of health is seen in the condition of its children. That this interest is not yet uniformly intelligent or great is particularly evident from an inspection of the children in our rural or semirural schools, although it is also revealed in the conditions and habits that prevail in the homes and streets of most of our American towns and cities. Publicity and a constantly swelling tide of information and effort are, however, accomplishing much, and there is a marked improvement in these respects going on in most places. The school is one of the most valuable agencies in the spread of this good work. Each well-trained, well-informed, thoroughly interested pupil sent from the school into active life becomes a centre of right influence in these directions.

4. Training of Teachers for Health Instruction.-To produce such pupils, not only well selected matter of instruction and proper methods must be used, but well-trained teachers who realize the importance of the subject must be found in every class-room. Too many teachers at present have but a very imperfect knowledge of the physiological processes and their relation to health and disease. But even more are absolutely without training in discerning even the plainest evidences of physical defects and disease. This is no more than might at present be expected. Widespread interest in the subject of health, especially in the securing of practical results in health, is a thing of very recent development. The school has not yet had time to meet the newer demand in an effective way. And preparation to meet this demand will have results not now realized by many teachers. Even the reflex results of being worthy

examples to pupils in matters of health will be a great physical gain. In the one matter of voice alone the benefits will be great. Experts tell us that the vocal cords of the child sympathetically respond to voices and noises long before it is able to articulate. Hence the harsh-voiced teacher who in her efforts to be a worthy example in care of the voice and throat, is likely to reap rich returns in a more satisfactory discipline as her voice trains into a wellmodulated tone. Too often the teacher is a bad example in such things as recklessly overworking, in bad hours, and in ruining digestion, eyes, and nerves. If this arises from ignorance the teacher needs to be better informed; if it arises from pure recklessness then there is sad need of a better training. The teacher must practise what she preaches. As public interest in health develops the teacher must be prepared to meet higher standards both in her own health and in her preparation of caring for and instructing in health.

TEMPERANCE AND TOBACCO.-The temptation is always great in health instruction to exaggerate the results of violations of hygienic law, or at least to make statements that are so all-inclusive that pupils are constantly disturbed in accepting and believing them by a mass of apparently contradictory evidence. The temptation to such teaching is especially great in the instruction pertaining to the evil effects of the use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages. The evil results of the excessive use of cigarettes and strong drink have so often been called to our attention that as teachers we are filled with the one moral purpose of making young people abhor the use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages in any form or amount. Such zeal is commendable; but it is well not to lose sight of the fact that misstatements and mistaken methods often leave the pupil in a skeptical or opposition attitude, which thus militates against our entire purpose. Young people do not readily distinguish between excess and moderation, between an occasional violation and habitual violation, between a neutral attitude toward a bodily appetite and being enslaved by it. Nor do they see as older and wiser persons do the danger of creating and feeding an appetite that is full of harmful possibilities. The economic and social effects of carelessness

and indulgence can, however, easily be made clear to them through an abundance of concrete illustrations. Young people can understand that there must be some good reason for forbidding smoking in certain places and for making it a legal offence to sell cigarettes to young people below a certain age. All scientists agree that tobacco should not be used in any form by growing children and youths. There must be good physiological reasons for this and for the fact that insurance companies do not regard excessive users of tobacco as good risks. Besides, the tobacco habit is an expensive one and is offensive to many people. The yellow fingers, yellow teeth, nasty breath, and offensive excretions from the pores of an habitual cigarette user are a bar to promotion and almost invariably to favorable employment. While it is true that tobacco will often soothe excited nerves, such a condition of the nerves should be avoided; and when it does occur what is needed is rest and nourishment, not the deadening of nerve energy by nicotine. The danger in the use of tobacco is its insidiousness. Its use in small quantities, like that of so many other food poisons, does not produce the prompt and unmistakable results which would at once lead to its being shunned. Even in the young person the arrested physical, mental, and moral growth often take some time to reveal themselves. But that both old and young are better off in body, estate, and ability by avoiding its use is a well-known fact.

The testimony against the use of alcoholic drinks is much clearer and far more emphatic. Many business houses will discharge even an otherwise faithful employee who is found intoxicated. Railroads are especially strict in this respect. The reasons for this are clear; experience has shown that the valuable and safe employee is the one who has his faculties and powers under control at all times. Business houses, factories, and large corporations are taking a more and more decided stand against the employment of habitual drinkers. And even the occasional drinker endangers his chances of success. Aside from this, drinking is a wasteful habit and often leads to want; and this want not infrequently falls upon innocent persons whom the drunkard has pledged himself to support. Usually there are also serious and rapid inroads made upon the health of

the person who becomes addicted to the use of drink. Dr. Jacques Bertillon, of Paris, declares, after long and careful study and investigation, his belief that the use of alcohol as a beverage is, if not the chief cause, at least the chief contributory cause of tuberculosis. He also declares that liver diseases, Bright's disease, nervous disorders, insanity, and even cancer, find two or three times as many victims among drinkers as among non-drinkers. Hence there is abundance of evidence, in which there need be no exaggeration of facts, to show young people that the use of drink affects the chances of success, the opportunity for the greatest usefulness, robust health, and our relations to those who may be dependent upon us for help.

But it should also be made clear that a craving for both tobacco and alcohol is fostered by highly seasoned food; by too long hours of work; by lack of exercise, rest, and pure air; and by bad sanitary conditions. Conditions that tend to produce good health and an abundance of bodily vigor, with freedom for their expression in work and recreation, furnish the best means of supplanting these cravings. But the health and vigor needed for marked success are best conserved by leading an abstemious life. That better temperance teaching along many lines is badly needed is shown by the increasing evidence of nervous tension, of the drug habit, of high living, of the growing use of tobacco (even among women), and of the amount of drink consumed. Wm. H. Allen, in his "Civics and Health," says that we must face the truth that this, the most hygienic instructed country in the world, is a perfect Elysium of patent medicine and the cocaine traffic, and that, whereas in 1896 there was consumed 16.49 gallons of spiritous liquor per capita, in 1906 this had increased to 22.27 gallons. Evidently a more effective education along these lines is badly needed.

Overstudy and the Tension of Modern Life.

When the school work is clearly understood and the interest of the pupil is keen, a great amount of studying can be done without physical injury and with as perfect pleasure as can be derived from play. "Interest" has remarkable

66

physiological power in resisting physical exhaustion and decay. The amount of instruction that can be crowded into an interesting journey and the long-continued but unnoticed physical efforts of a fishing or hunting trip, or an athletic contest, are good illustrations of this. As Mr. Allen says, Work of itself never killed anybody nor made anybody sick. Work has caused worry, mental strain, and physical break-down only where men while working have been deprived of air, sunlight, exercise, sleep, proper food at the proper time, opportunity to live and work hygienically." We are learning that the overburdening of life is even more apt to arise from poorly ordering, poorly controlling the life than it is from fully occupying the life. And this is true regardless of whether the life is one of work or one of leisure. In other words, bad habits of work and recreation are more responsible for physical break-downs than is the amount of real work accomplished. Too little real work, and too much dissipation of energy are often responsible for the worry that kills. The body was created for work and not merely for play-for real serious effort and accomplishment. The brain was fashioned for thought-for earnest thinking and a purpose. And body and mind are endowed with natural cravings which can be fully satisfied only by purposeful work. Desultory work, procrastination, self-indulgence, even working for self alone, usually breed morbid feelings in the life. The thoughts become trivial, unwholesome, suspicious, self-centred, and the source of great nervous stress and unhappiness. The Psychological Clinic some months ago made a vigorous protest against the fashionable schools and private tutors who encourage no serious, purposeful effort in the life, and are thereby largely responsible for many physical, intellectual, and moral weaknesses that result in nervous collapses and life-failures. This is the direct result of the folly and indifference of fathers and the vanity and thoughtless pride of mothers, and deserves the severe condemnation that it usually gets.

However, there are certain things that the school must keep in mind, or overwork in some cases may occur. (1) Neither study nor physical exercise should require effort that is beyond the physical development or physical condi