Health, July, 1915.)

Periodic physical examinations are as necessary for children as for
adults, in order to detect physical defects. These defects are known to
have such an immense bearing upon health that routine examinations of
all children have become an integral part of the work of enlightened
public schools.

Prevention of degenerative disease, then, as well as of the enormous
numbers of preventable accidents and injuries, depends in large measure
upon proper living conditions and proper personal habits. The infectious
diseases, according to Dr. Hill, cost us annually at least 10 billion
dollars in addition to the loss of life, and he adds: "The infectious
diseases in general radiate from and are kept going by women."--(Hill--
New Public Health, p. 30.) Women, it is true, can prevent many of the
infections, but they can do still more, for hygienic habits to be
effective must be acquired early, and mothers and teachers, because they
have practically the entire control of children, have the power to
prevent many cases of degenerative as well as of communicable disease.

EXERCISES

1. Distinguish between communicable and non-communicable disease.

2. Describe the part played by micro-organisms in causing disease.

3. Describe the structure of bacteria and their method of
multiplication.

4. In what ways are pathogenic germs transmitted from person to person?

5. Upon what preventive measures does the control of communicable
diseases depend?

6. What is meant by immunity?

7. Against what diseases may immunity be acquired artificially? How has
the practice of immunizing affected death rates from communicable
diseases?

8. What factors tend to lower resistance? Do they act equally in the
case of all diseases?

9. Define a carrier, and explain the importance of carriers in the
spread of disease.

10. Name some of the characteristics and causes of degenerative
diseases.

11. Whom do the degenerative diseases most commonly affect?

12. Describe methods that should be employed to prevent degenerative
diseases.

FOR FURTHER READING

The New Public Health--Hill, Chapters I-IX.

Health and Disease--Roger I. Lee, Chapters XV-XXIV.

Principles of Sanitary Science and the Public Health--Sedgwick, Chapters
I, II, III.

Scientific Features of Modern Medicine--Frederic S. Lee, Chapters II,
IV-VI.

Disease and Its Causes--Councilman, Chapter I.

Preventive Medicine and Hygiene--Rosenau.

Public