p. 23 | Review and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 9. (3/4/1909)

An Important Work

ALL who consecrate themselves to God to work as canvassers are assisting to give the last message of warning to the world. We can not too highly estimate this work; for were it not for the efforts of the canvasser, many would never hear the warning.

It is true that some who buy the books will lay them on the shelf or place them on the parlor table, and seldom look at them. Still God has a care for his truth, and the time will come when these books will be sought for and read. Sickness or misfortune may enter the home, and through the truth contained in the books, God sends to troubled hearts peace and hope and rest. His love is revealed to them, and they understand the preciousness of the forgiveness of their sins. Thus the Lord co-operates with his self-denying workers. There are many, who, because of prejudice, will never know the truth unless it is brought to their homes.—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VI, pages 313, 314.

The Publishing Work

By C. H. Jones; E. R. Palmer; H. H. Hall

Conducted under the auspices of the General Conference Publishing Department.

C. H. JONES e2e2e2e2 Chairman

E. R. PALMER e2e2e2e2 Secretary

H. H. HALL e2e2e2e2 Assistant Secretary

Notes on the Summary

By E. R. P.

THE monthly summary for 1909 begins its record promptly on time.

A new feature has been added to this January report. The column showing the total sales in each conference during January, 1909, is followed by a column showing the totals during the corresponding month last year. This feature will be continued if desired.

By looking up the summaries for November and December of last year, and placing them beside this one, it will be observed that several union conferences have won a great victory on the question of winter canvassing by holding their records strong and steady through the winter months.

We feel to congratulate most cordially both canvassers and leaders in the union conferences included in the territories of the Review and Herald and Southern publishing associations on the substantial gain they have made in book sales, and in the progress attained in perfecting the reporting system.

We are also greatly pleased with the addition to our list of reports from foreign fields. Our brethren far out on the frontier, where the work is not so fully organized, have co-operated very actively in the effort to make our summary complete. We cordially invite our brethren in this service to give this summary careful study. It will bear study, for many valuable lessons may be learned from it.

The gain for January, 1909, over January, 1908, is the largest gain we have made during January for the past five years, as shown by the comparative summary.

We invite the earnest co-operation of all the workers in this department in an effort to strengthen the weak places in our summary, and make it as perfect as lies within our power during each month of the present year.

E. R. P.

Current Mention

— Seven men were killed and two injured in a train wreck at Delmar, Md., on February 22.

— February 21 severe earthquakes were experienced throughout the Elche district of Spain, also at Crevillente, and the people are camping in the fields.

— Earthquake instruments at London, on February 26, recorded another earthquake of the greatest intensity, but its location has not yet been determined.

— Six persons were killed and more than a score injured by a tornado which wrecked every building save two in the town of Marked Tree, Ark., on February 23.

— President Roosevelt’s order detaching the marines from all the war-vessels of the navy and assigning them to duty on shore is to be overruled by Congress, if the House accepts the recommendation of the joint committee to that effect.

— The California Legislature passed a bill, February 24, providing for a complete census of the Japanese in that State, that the State might be able to determine whether it should ask Congress to pass a general Asiatic exclusion act.

— A mineral which is called radiothor was recently discovered by a Chicago chemist in analyzing a peculiar grade of pitch-blende obtained in Colorado. The new substance is claimed to have all the curative qualities of radium, without its dangerous effects.

— The wonderful growth of this country is well illustrated in a comparison of the postal appropriations of three different years. In the year 1800 the postal appropriations amounted to $280,804. In the year 1860 they had increased to $8,518,007. For the present year they amount to $224,000,000. The figures for the last-named year are an increase of more than one hundred per cent over the appropriations for the same purpose nine years ago.

— Blizzards of great severity have prevailed in southwestern Russia during the week, completely blocking two thousand miles of railway. A report from Odessa states that more than one hundred lives were lost in southwestern Russia during the three days of the storm.

— The question of such a change in the constitution of the State of New York as will permit woman suffrage is now before the New York Legislature as a result of a hearing at Albany on February 24. The judiciary committee of the legislature has agreed to report to the assembly next week.

— A successful test of the wireless telegraph apparatus was made on a swiftly moving Lake Shore train on February 27, messages being sent from the train in western Pennsylvania to the wireless station at Cleveland, Ohio. Exchanges of telegrams were also made between a number of other stations.

— The Liberal forces in Persia have come in conflict with the forces of the government, and in the engagement the latter have been defeated. The Liberals expect soon to march on the capital. The telegram bringing this report also states that another earthquake in Persia has destroyed thirty villages. The loss of life is not given.

— Because of the murder of a policeman at Omaha, Neb., February 19, by a Greek, mobs attacked and wrecked a large number of buildings occupied by Greeks. In the encounters incident to the work of the mob several were severely injured. The matter has been taken up by the Greek minister to the United States.

— President-Elect William H. Taft has completed his cabinet. The members are as follows: Secretary of State, Philander C. Knox, of Pennsylvania; Secretary of the Treasury, Franklin Mac Veagh, of Illinois; Secretary of War, Jacob M. Dickinson, of Tennessee; Attorney-General, George W. Wickersham, of New York; Postmaster-General, Frank H. Hitchcock, of Massachusetts; Secretary of the Navy, George Von L. Meyer, of Massachusetts; Secretary of the Interior, Richard A. Ballinger, of Washington; Secretary of Agriculture, James Wilson, of Iowa; Secretary of Commerce and Labor, Charles Nagel, of Missouri.

— The American battle-ship fleet, with its escort of battle-ships and cruisers, arrived off the Virginia capes on the night of February 21, and on the following morning sailed into Hampton Roads, where it was reviewed by the President. The returned fleet and its escort made up a fleet of thirty war-vessels, the strongest American fleet ever assembled. The review of the fleet by the President brought to an end its long cruise of fifteen months.

— The representatives of both the United States and Great Britain in China have entered remonstrances to the Russian government against the Russian administration of municipal affairs at Harbin, Manchuria. This remonstrance is backed also by the protests of China because of Russia’s continued occupation of her territory. The American and British representatives have both notified Russia that they expect her to live up to the agreements outlined in the treaty of Portsmouth.

— By a vote of 168 to 141, the House of Representatives, on February 24, refused to allow an increase in the salary of the President of the United States to $100,000. The House finally agreed to an amendment, making the President’s salary $75,000, with no appropriation for traveling expenses. The House also refused to allow an increase in the salaries of the Vice-President, Secretary of State, Speaker of the House, and for members of the Supreme Court, Circuit and District courts, and for the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia.

— United States Commissioner of Corporations Herbert K. Smith, has made public that portion of his report dealing with the tobacco trust. He states that this great tobacco combination is composed of eighty-nine subsidiary concerns, with a capitalization of $316,000,000. The commissioner shows that this trust is practically the only exporter of tobacco, controlling substantially the entire output of the country. An idea of the extent to which it has absorbed independent concerns may be gathered from the fact that since 1897 the number of independent concerns handling tobacco has dwindled from 243 to 17.

— Conditions in Europe still bear a warlike aspect. Austria gives evidence of a desire to invade and punish Servia. Russia is opposed to such action on the part of Austria, and has ordered out certain classes of her reserves for six weeks’ military practise. Germany still favors Austria. Servia and Montenegro have agreed that in case of hostilities with Austria, they will act together, and Prince Nicholas of Montenegro will be in command of the combined forces. Servia has indicated her willingness to entrust her grievances to a European court of arbitration, and England has indicated her willingness to participate in the court if Russia also will join. The one favorable omen in the situation is Servia’s willingness to submit her case to such a tribunal.

The Jews Urged to Activity

THE following is taken from the Chicago Israelite of Jan. 16, 1909:—

“The Johnston Sunday bill is now pending before the United States House of Representatives. The bill is styled ‘An act for the proper observance of Sunday as a day of rest in the District of Columbia.’ It was introduced in the Senate, May 1, 1908, and was passed in that body, May 15, 1908. The bill is innocent enough in itself, but there is no telling to what it will lead when once it receives the sanction of both houses. There is scarcely a session of Congress at which some such bill is not introduced.

Every one knows that these bills are introduced under the instigation and whip of rigid orthodox Christians, and are simply entering wedges.

“The Seventh-day Baptists and the Seventh-day Adventists are fully aroused to the situation, and are securing signatures to a petition appealing to Congress not to pass the law. The Jews of the country should take a similar stand, and circulate petitions, get the signatures of their constituents, and present them to the congressmen of their districts, urging them to vote against the District of Columbia Sunday bill.

“As said, the measure is by no means drastic in its demands. But that is not the point. Congress has no right to deal with questions of this character, no matter how lenient they may be in their application. By doing so it is overriding the First Amendment to the Constitution: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or permitting the free exercise thereof.’ The Johnston Sunday bill has passed the Senate. It must not pass the House of Representatives. Every champion of the separation of church and state should use his influence with the congressmen of his district to see to it that the Johnston bill is defeated.”

In Arizona

By W. A. C.

ELDER H. G. THURSTON, president of the Arizona Conference, writes, under date of February 19, as follows:—

“A bill granting power to incorporated towns and cities within the territory to close barber shops on Sunday, passed the House by 17 to 4 votes, February 11, and came to the council this week.

“We have done what we could, and yesterday afternoon the council committee reported it adversely, and it was killed by a large majority.

“Liberty has had its influence, and as soon as we pointed out the real issue, and what was involved in the measure, the council smote it in very proper style.

“The word Sunday did not occur in the bill, but the whole argument in favor of it was that it would give power to close barber shops on Sunday, and, in fact, all the discussion for and against the bill was from the Sunday-closing standpoint. Yesterday our memorial was read in full in the council, showing the dangers, and giving some of the reasons why we opposed it.”

The writer further says that a “straight Sunday bill” to close all barber shops has also been introduced into the Arizona Legislature. He is hopeful that even though the House passes it, the council will oppose it. W. A. C.

Value of the Petition Work

By W. A. C.

THE accompanying illustration is a reduced reproduction of a cartoon which appeared in the Sacramento (Cal.) Bee, of Feb. 5, 1909. It indicates quite forcibly the value and importance of the petition work in our opposition to the passage of religious measures.

Referring to this matter, Elder J. O. Corliss, writing from Sacramento, February 10, says: “I am sure that petitions are of great help in our legislative work, as you will notice by the cartoon mailed you yesterday. It did not appear until about two weeks after petitions were put in; so you can see that they are remembered. The Bee is keeping before the people the thought that those personal signatures have been filed.”

Writing to the brethren in the State of New York through the Atlantic Union Gleaner, of February 10, Elder C. S. Longacre says: “There are now fourteen [now twenty-one] Sunday bills before your State legislature. Now is your time to enter an effective protest against these bills. I never knew until last week how effective these protests are. When we appeared before the Maine Legislature last week, to argue against the Sunday bill, the letters and protests of our people that were coming in thick and fast on every mail, gave us a tremendous influence and standing with the committee. Come to our help, brethren! We can not fight the battle alone.”

It is a mistake, therefore, for any one to belittle or minimize the influence and importance of the petition work. And by this we mean to include everything of the nature of personal letters, memorials, resolutions, remonstrances, and protests of all kinds. These things do exert an influence and have weight.

As long therefore as the right of petition is recognized and exists, we feel that advantage should be taken of it, and use made of it. And it would seem a sort of providence that the same section in the United States Constitution which enjoins Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, guarantees the right of petition. If there is anything the people ought to petition and protest against, and have a right to petition and protest against, it is the evils of religious legislation. We hope therefore that none of our people will lose sight of this important work, and the opportunities it affords to present the truth to the people. W. A. C.

Christian Liberty

By K. C. Russell; W. A. Colcord

Reports, Notes, and Comments Pertaining to the Current History of the Rights of Conscience

Conducted by the Religious Liberty Bureau.

K. C. RUSSELL, . . . . Chairman W. A. COLCORD, . . . . Secretary

From California

By W. P. P.

A TELEGRAM from Elder J. O. Corliss was printed in the last issue of the REVIEW, announcing the defeat of a proposed amendment to the California Constitution, which would provide for Sunday laws. From a letter written by Brother Corliss, reporting the experiences, we take the following extract:—

“The author of the amendment, Mr. Johnson, had the first speech, and although the contention had been, all along, that there was no religious intention behind the bill, his entire talk was along the line of a religious day of rest. In fact, there was no other thought made prominent enough to carry the least weight. He probably talked twenty minutes. Another Mr. Johnson, Mr. Preston, Mr. Wheelan, and Mr. Irwin, all talked strongly against the bill as a religious measure. I might also mention that a Mr. Cronin said a few words in harmony with the other opponents of the measure. There were only two who ventured to talk in favor of the matter, besides Mr. Johnson, the author of the bill. It is not necessary here to enter into detail regarding the arguments of the opponents of the measure, but suffice it to say that very many of our arguments were repeated. In fact, Mr. — had before him quite a bundle of documents that had been placed in his hands by us. He used one of them in his speech.”

In view of the failure of the effort to secure the required amendment to the constitution in behalf of Sunday laws, it is probable that no further move will be made at this session of the legislature to pass the pending Sunday bill. But Mr. G. L. Tufts, a representative of the International Reform Bureau, who is the author of the bill, and who has led the campaign in behalf of this legislation, has already announced his purpose to renew the fight at the next session of the legislature two years hence. In view of this warning, the friends of religious freedom will doubtless enter upon a campaign of education with a view to the defeat of any such effort. W. W. P.

Christian Education Department

By Frederick Griggs; C. C. Lewis

This department will appear in the first issue of each month of the REVIEW AND HERALD

It will be devoted to the consideration of Christian education in the denomination, involving the work of primary, intermediate, and advanced schools. The principles of education in a broad sense will be discussed in their application to the methods employed in the different grades of these schools. Reports of the work done in all parts of the world will be published. The preparation of workers to carry the gospel to all lands and the immediate finishing of the third angel's message will be kept prominently before the schools as the leading aim in Christian education.

This department is conducted by the Department of Education of the General Conference.

FREDERICK GRIGGS, Chairman.

C. C. LEWIS, Secretary.

The Home

The home has the first and most important of all responsibilities in the education and training of the child. Because many parents do not sense this, the conscientious teacher often endeavors to do that which should be done by parents in the home. Under certain circumstances this may be required, but the wise teacher recognizes that the first great responsibility in the development and education of every child rests upon the parents, and seeks by every conceivable means to encourage parents to discharge well these responsibilities.

The thoughtful teacher will seek in a proper manner to uplift the home as a first and most natural means of developing and properly educating the child. But it is not the work of the school to do for children in the school that which should be done by the parents in the home. Next to religious teaching of children in their homes comes proper industrial instruction. The child should be taught to work in an accurate, rapid, and skilful manner. But while the school has direct duties to discharge in teaching the dignity of, and love for, useful labor, and while such teaching should form an integral part of school work, and will directly affect the home for good, yet, after all, it is in the home that manual labor can be best taught; for such work is, in the end, for the direct benefit of home life; and to seek to do in the school what may be done in the home is a subversion of the great end of such education.

One of the greatest opportunities for good given our schools is to seek the elevation of home life; for in this way we can best prepare our pupils for home duties. Where pupils are in the school home, then, of course, the full responsibility for home training rests upon the school; but where children are in their own homes, the school should recognize the rights and obligations of the home, and seek to aid and encourage the children in the faithful discharge of such responsibilities. Let us earnestly seek a perfect adjustment of the home and school responsibilities in the child's education.

The Present Truth

God has always had a present truth for the world. The message which John the Baptist gave was not the one which Noah had to give. The message and work of Paul was not that of Nehemiah. Our message is not that of any other people or time, yet it embraces all the great issues of all time.

Our educational effort is to seek to make clear these great vital issues, and to lead each pupil to discern his personal relation to them. Our courses of study,

our methods of teaching, our discipline, should all have for their aim the one great purpose of preparing workers whose appreciation of the issues of this message is so great that they may do the work given them in a most effective manner. There is danger, in our efforts to produce good work in any one department,—as, for instance, agriculture, manual training, music, or language,—that we lose sight of the mighty movement of which we are a part; and to just the extent that education thus becomes one-sided, it is useless.

We are not to turn out from our schools farmers, mechanics, linguists, or musicians as such; but we are to seek to develop in our students those elements of character which will best qualify them to be missionaries in heathen lands, ministers in the great cities of our home land, teachers in the preparation of workers, physicians who can bring healing to the soul as well as to the body, business men who can conduct the financial affairs of our great enterprises; and each teacher in each department of a school should have such a broad grasp of the fundamentals of this message and of the needs of the present hour that every effort will be performed with a proper view of all the departments of study, and not simply of his own.

We are not to teach our children to raise cabbages, milk cows, or train vines only, neither are we to teach them to handle verbs and nouns, or demonstrate difficult mathematical and scientific problems merely, or to be able to recall great portions of history, or even understand something of the meaning or philosophy of it, but we are to seek to bring each of these elements into the life of the student in such just and proper proportions as to give him a thoroughly balanced mind.

Individuality

WE can rightly educate the masses only by educating the individual, and this can be accomplished only by a constant study of each individual. The highest ideal of educational effort would make it possible to meet each individual's absolute needs. It is impossible for us, under all the circumstances of large classes, to meet this ideal, but we may always aim at it, and may often approximate it. We can do this only when we are willing to advance or to hold back each pupil in his class work, just as may be best suited to his own needs.

This sort of teaching takes time outside of classes. It requires visits to the home, personal talks, a thorough acquaintance with each pupil, and much careful thought; but it yields abundant returns. Under such teaching a great stimulus is given to the growth of intellect and character. The pupil feels the thrill of life from this personal touch and influence of the teacher. The conscientious teacher affects character more by his conscientiousness, by his thoroughness and painstaking effort, than he does by anything he teaches by maxim and precept. Given such a teacher,—one who is seeking to know the individual elements of each pupil's life,—individual development becomes a rapid matter.

The gardener seeks to place each plant in just that location with respect to sun and shade, and to give to each just the amount of water and the kind of nourishment, required for its development. His plants, it is true, are graded, but individual care is given to each. It is this care that makes them thrifty. Similar care bestowed upon individual pupils will produce far greater results. Some of Christ's greatest teachings were given, not to the multitude, but to the individual. Let us seek to emulate this wonderful example.

Traditional Versus God-Given Ideals

PHYSICAL work is given of God to produce in man those sturdy, vigorous elements which will serve to stimulate and vivify his faculties of mind and soul. A child is not to be educated in manual labor simply for the sake of dexterity and skilfulness. He is to be thus educated that he may develop a vigorous, energetic, and wholesome life. No manhood or womanhood is complete without the symmetrical development of all physical faculties. Generally speaking, the schools of the world are out of touch with the vital conditions of the life of to-day. We live in a mechanical and commercial age, and he alone is rightly educated who is enabled properly to meet and deal with these present conditions of existence.

It is hard for the teachers of to-day to break away from the traditions of the past. These traditions grew in an age when aristocracy, with no appreciation of its physical responsibilities, ruled supremely over a class of serfs, with no sense of their intellectual responsibilities. Such traditions must not form and govern the educational ideals of the present, but these ideals must be determined by the revelations given to us by God. His high conceptions of manhood and womanhood, practical, alert, and capable of meeting and dealing with present issues, are to be our standards. We are to carry forward the mightiest movement of all times, and our educational ideals must be determined by it.

So, then, we teachers are bound by the vows of our high calling to put forth our strongest endeavors to bring into our work that perfect balance of educational ideals which will develop all the faculties of the being harmoniously. Physical work, skilfully, accurately, energetically performed, is in itself intellectual and spiritual. We should not be held by traditions. We have before us God-given ideals; we should study and continually seek to apprehend them.

The Aim of Our School Work

By Ellen G. White

We are rapidly nearing the final crisis in this world's history, and it is important that we understand that the educational advantages offered by our schools are not to be such as are offered by the schools of the world. Neither are we to follow the routine of worldly schools. The instruction given in Seventh-day Adventist schools is to be such as to lead to the practise of true humility. In speech, in dress, in diet, and in the influence exerted, is to be seen the simplicity of true godliness.

Our teachers need to understand the work that is to be done in these last days. The education given in our schools, in our churches, in our sanitariums, should present clearly the great work to be accomplished. The need of weeding from the life every practise that is opposed to the teachings of the Word of God, and of supplying the place with deeds that bear the mark of the divine nature, should be made clear to the students of all grades. Our work of education is ever to bear the impress of the heavenly, and thus reveal the excellence of divine instruction above that of the learning of the world.

To some this work of entire transformation may seem impossible. But if this were so, why go to the expense of attempting to carry on a work of Christian education? Our knowledge of what true education means is to lead us ever to seek for strict purity of character. In all our association together we are to bear in mind that we are fitting for transfer to another world; the principles of heaven are to be learned, the superiority of the future life to this is to be impressed upon the mind of every learner. Teachers who fail to bring this into their work of education, fail of having a part in the great work of developing character that can meet the approval of God.

The last work of the prophet Elijah was to visit all the schools of the prophets in Israel, and to give the students divine instruction. This he did, and then ascended to the heavenly courts in a chariot of fire. As the world in this age comes more and more under the influence of Satan, the true children of God will desire more and more to be taught of him. Teachers should be employed who will give a heavenly mold to the characters of the youth. Under the influence of such teachers, foolish and unessential practises will be exchanged for habits and practises befitting the sons and daughters of God.

As wickedness in the world becomes more pronounced, and the teachings of evil are more fully developed and widely accepted, the teachings of Christ are to stand forth exemplified in the lives of converted men and women. Angels are waiting to co-operate in every department of the work. This has been presented to me again and again. At this time, the people of God, the truly converted men and women, under the training of faithful teachers, are to be learning the lessons that the God of heaven values.

The most important work for our educational institutions to do at this time is to set before the world an example that will honor God. Holy angels, through human agencies, are to supervise the work, and every department is to bear the mark of divine excellence. Let the Word of God be made the chief book of study, that the students may learn to live by every word that Christ has given. MRS. E. G. WHITE.

Visiting the School

By Anna Johnson

A Talk to Parents

Much has been said in regard to the teacher’s duty of visiting the parents and children at their homes, and becoming acquainted with the home life and environments of the child; but I have been thinking about another duty—that of the parents’ visiting the school, and learning of the child’s life there.

Did you ever stop to think how much time each day your child is actually out of your sight? But you say, “I send my child to church-school, and I know we have a good teacher. I never fear about my child while he is in school.” That is all very well; but your duty does not cease there.

One parent (a member of the school board) said to me, when I asked him to visit the school, “O, I shall never have time for that. I have all confidence in you as a teacher.” Yes, that is true enough; but, parents, how are you going to sympathize and co-operate with your teacher if you never see what he is doing in the schoolroom? You may have an idea of it, from the reports your children bring you, and from what you learn by meeting the teacher at church on the Sabbath; but that is not enough.

I have urged this matter upon the patrons of my school, until I have succeeded in getting most of them sufficiently interested to visit the school half a day at a time. It just inspires me to have them come, and I only wish they could stay the whole day. It encourages the children also.

Perhaps you wonder why Mary’s standing in reading is not so high as you think it ought to be, and why Johnny’s department is not so good, when you tell him each morning to “be a good boy, and mind the teacher.”

Let me tell you what to do. Go to school with Mary and Johnny some day, and you will be there in time to see how orderly they take their seats when school calls, and how they get their books out and go to work. Then apply good thought and judgment; study the methods the teacher uses in teaching different pupils, and in presenting different subjects; and I am sure, when your visit is over, you will declare, “Well, I never knew that school is so different now from what it was when I went to school.” You have really been in school and learned some things yourself, and are glad you took the time that day to visit the school.

Therefore, parents, visit the school, and you will better appreciate the privilege you have of obtaining a Christian education for your children.

ANNA JOHNSON.

The Hygiene of the Nose

SPECIAL symptoms to be observed are the following:—

1. Disturbances of breathing. Breathing through the nose is difficult, so the mouth is kept open.

2. Disturbances of speech. The voice has a nasal sound, since the stopping of the nose hinders clear speech.

3. Disturbances of hearing, on account of the swelling of the Eustachian tubes. In this way buzzing in the ears, deafness, etc., may occur.

4. Disturbances in the functions of the brain, resulting in inattention, so-called aprosexia nasalis, and the like.

Investigation has shown that this is a common disorder among schoolchildren. In Boston, from five to six per cent suffer with adenoids; in Germany about ten per cent.

In Leipsic investigation made by the school physician showed that out of 9,031 children, 23.2 per cent were afflicted with adenoids. The largest number of cases were found among the children of the so-called district schools, attended by the poorer classes. This was thought to be connected with the scrofulous tendency, and the fact that the children were weaker and not so well cared for. In the burgerschulen, where the better class attend, there were 18.9 per cent of the children with adenoids; while in the

district schools, 25.5 per cent had adenoids.

In Stockholm, specialists are employed to examine every child in the elementary schools. In 1905, among 3,495 children, 13.8 per cent were found to have enlarged upper tonsils; and in 1906, among 3,907, 12 per cent were found.

Adenoids seem to occur more frequently among the mentally deficient. Among 114 feeble minded, Halsted found 20.1 per cent with adenoids. In one school in New York, where there was a special class for defectives, a physical examination showed that 137 had adenoids or enlarged tonsils, or both.

Perhaps, until further studies have been made, it is not best to attempt to establish other correlations, but several are suggested. It seems to be a defect of civilization. No extended investigations, so far as I am aware, have been made among primitive people; but among the South American Indians adenoids seem seldom to occur. Catlin reports that, according to his observation, North American Indians always sleep with their mouths closed.

Teachers have an excellent opportunity for detecting the presence of adenoids in their pupils. By making the preliminary observations, a blank like the following can be used:—

1. Does the pupil sit with open mouth? Always. Sometimes. No.

2. Does the pupil complain of headache? Always. Sometimes. No.

3. Is the pupil attentive? Very. Somewhat. No.

4. Is the pupil backward in learning? Very. Somewhat. No.

5. Does the pupil’s voice have a nasal sound? Always. Sometimes. No.

6. Does the pupil stutter? Always. Sometimes. No.

7. Is the pupil hard of hearing? Always. Sometimes. No.

8. Does the pupil complain of earache? Always. Sometimes. No.

9. Remarks. — Pedagogical Seminary.

Death in School Drinking-Cups

THE evidence condemning the use of common drinking-vessels upon any occasion, whether at school, church, or home, is derived from three sources: (1) The frequent presence of disease-producing bacteria in the mouth; (2) the detection of pathogenic germs on the public cups; (3) the discovery that where a number of persons drank from a cup previously used by the sick, some of them became ill.

During the past six months I have investigated, by means of direct microscopic examination, by cultures, and by guinea-pig injections, the deposits present on various public drinking-vessels. Cup No. 1, which had been in use nine days in a school, was a clear thin glass. It was broken into a number of pieces, and properly stained for examination with a microscope magnifying one thousand diameters. The human cells scraped from the lips of the drinkers were so numerous on the upper third of the glass that the head of a pin could not be placed anywhere without touching several of these bits of skin. The saliva, by running down on the inside of the glass, had carried cells and bacteria to the bottom. Here, however, they were less than one third as abundant as at the brim.

By counting the cells present on fifty different areas on the glass as seen under the microscope, it was estimated that the cup contained over twenty thousand human cells or bits of dead skin. As many as one hundred fifty germs were seen clinging to a single cell, and very few cells showed less than ten germs. Between the cells were thousands of germs left there by the smears of saliva deposited by the drinkers. Not less than a hundred thousand bacteria were present on every square inch of the glass. Most of these were of the harmless kind, abundant in the mouth, but some were apparently the germs of decay, feeding upon the bits of the human body adhering to the cup. In order to determine how much material each drinker is likely to leave on the cup, I requested ten boys to apply the upper lip to pieces of clean flat glass in the same way they touch the cup in drinking. These glass slips thus soiled were properly stained for microscopic examination, which showed an average of about one hundred cells and seventy-five thousand bacteria to each slip.

More than ten thousand churches have now adopted the individual communion cups, and many schools either provide a sanitary drinking-fountain or require the pupils to use individual cups. In many places in Germany pasteboard cups are furnished, which, after being once used, are destroyed. Wherever hygienic measures have been adopted in a community, sickness and death have decreased. By living more in accordance with the rules of hygiene, New York City reduced her death-rate from twenty-five per thousand to eighteen per thousand during the period from 1890 to 1905. Within the same years, Chicago reduced her death-rate from nineteen to fourteen per thousand. — Technical World Magazine.

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