Civics and HealthAllen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Science
Civics and Health
Allen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Hygiene; Public health
Tuberculous teachers ought to be excluded from schoolrooms not merely
because they may spread tuberculosis, but because they cannot do
justice to school work without sacrifices that society ought not to
accept. A tuberculous teacher ought to be generous enough to permit
public hospitals to restore her strength or enterprising enough to
join tuberculosis classes. It is selfish to demand independence at the
price which is paid by schools that employ tuberculous teachers.
[Illustration: FIGHTING BONE TUBERCULOSIS WITH SALT WATER AND
SALT AIR]
Predisposition to tuberculosis should be understood by every child
before he is accepted as an industrial soldier. Many trades now
dangerous would be made safe if workers knew the risk they run, and if
society forbade such trades needlessly to exhaust their employees. A
perfectly sound man is predisposed to tuberculosis if he elects to work
in stale, dust-laden air. Ill-ventilated rooms, cramped positions, lack
of exercise in the open air, prepare lungs to give a cordial reception
to tubercle bacilli. Rooms as well as persons become infected.
Fortunately, opportunities to work are so varied in most localities
that workers predisposed to tuberculosis may be sure of a livelihood in
an occupation suited to their vitality. Destruction of germs in the
air, in carpets, on walls, on streets, is quite as important as
destruction of germs in lungs. Why should not tenants and workers
require health certificates stating that neither house nor working
place is infected with tubercle bacilli? Some cities now compel the
disinfection of premises occupied by tuberculous persons _after_ their
removal. Landlords, employers, tenants, and employees can easily be
taught to see the advantage of disinfecting premises occupied by
tuberculous cases _before_ detection.
[Illustration: FIGHTING FEATHER DUSTERS IS ONE OBJECT OF SEA-AIR
HOSPITALS FOR BONE TUBERCULOSIS]
Dry cleaning, feather dusters, dust-laden air, will disappear from
schoolrooms within twenty-four hours after school-teachers declare that
they shall disappear. We have no right to expect street cleaners,
tenement and shop janitors, or overworked mothers to be more careful
than school-teachers. Last year I said to a janitress, "Don't you
realize that you may get consumption if you use that feather duster?"
Her reply caused us to realize our carelessness: "I don't want any more
than I've got now." Shall we some day have compulsory examination and
instruction of all cleaners, starting with school cleaners?
[Illustration: FIGHTING TUBERCULOSIS IN OPEN TENTS]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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