The health of school children / London County Council.

  • London County Council
Date:
[1925]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The health of school children / London County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Blight.—When more than one child in the family suffers at the same time from an attack of sore eyes it is very likely to be due to blight. This is a contagious disease, and very quickly spreads from child to child. The children must not attend schoo) until quite well.. The eyes should be bathed very often in boracic lotion. This is made by putting a teaspoonful of boracic acid into a pint of warm water. Small pieces of clean rag or cotton wool should be used for bathing and should be burnt immediately after use. Pillow-cases should be washed. If the same towel or handkeichief is used by any one else, or if the affected child sleeps with others, the disease is certain to spread. The eyes should be washed in running water. I1I—THE CARE OF THE TEETH. Health and strength and the capacity for earning full wages in after life depend largely upon the condition of the teeth, Decayed teeth lead to bad health, not only by causing in- digestion, but also by slowly poisoning the body. In this way a strong man may become weakened gradually and at last be unable to earn a living merely through neglect of his teeth. In childhood the second teeth begin to appear at the back of the mouth at the age of six before any of the first teeth are lost, and they are often allowed to decay from neglect on the plea that they are only first teeth. It is of great importance to preserve these teeth as they will never be replaced. Mothers often think that it is not necessary to bother about the first teeth. This is a great mistake. The milk teeth especially need attention. If decay sets in it is difficult to stay it, and the decay will spread from the first teeth to the second teeth. Decay of the teeth is generally caused, firstly, by bad feeding, especially in early childhood, and, secondly, by food left sticking to the teeth after eating. The use of the toothbrush will do much towards preserving the teeth and ensuring health. Every child should have his own toothbrush, and be taught to use it night and mormng. It is especially important that the teeth should be brushed the last thing at night. Children should never be given
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