University of Southern Mississippi - Southerner Yearbook (Hattiesburg, MS)

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Glnuntg Mnapitala fur Fluhrrrular lgativnta H E prevalence of tuberculosis in Mississippi is alarming. Statistics show that in the year 1913 there were twelve thousand cases in Mis- sissippi, three thousand of which resulted in death. The financial loss from tuberculosis is prob- ably greater than that from any other disease. Un- happily, the greater part of this expenditure is wast- ed. The practice of traveling or changing locality for climatic advantages results, in the majority of cases, in little or no really permanent improvement of the patient. From a social standpoint tuberculosis is a great menace. Disease of any kind is detrimental to the social state. Especially is this true of tubercu- losis, because it is a lingering and wasting disease, which, aside from its fatal nature, is always accompanied by much distress, unhappiness, and suffering. Therefore, if by any means this disease could be eradicated or held in check, nothing should be spared to at- tain this result. The first thing that concerns us as Mississippians is the possibility of permanent cure under climatic and other prevailing conditions in our state. That patients can be cured without leaving the state has been fully demonstrated. As an instance, the work of Dr. Boswell, of the Department of Public Health of Prentiss County, might be men- tioned. He successfully treated a number of cases and is deeply interested in the exten- sion of the work. In fact, very few patients are advised to travel in search of a more advantageous climate, because but few are financially able to remain long enough for permanent benefit. LULA GRICE Lincoln County As it has been shovfn that the disease can be successfully treated at home, it now remains for some plan to be devised by which home treatment can be carried on in organized and systematic way. By this means the patient would be given the advantage of the best treatment, and while removed from his immediate home, would not be re- moved from friends and acquaintances. There the patient could remain long enough for a permanent cure without being taxed by enormous expenses. The hospital would also prevent the spread of the disease through contagion. The greatest benefit that is derived from hospital treatment is the education that the patient receives by hygenic living. The county hospital would further serve to educate the people in hygenic prudence and would be a factor in the intelligent and co- operative effort by which tuberculosis may be eradicated. We are to be congratulated that the legislature has passed a bill for Mississippi to have a state hospital for tubercular patients. This is a small beginning, the appropri- ation being only 95251000, but we hope it will lead to the establishment of county hospitals. LULA GRICE. 17

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' i Uhr Srhnnl Lharlmgr Glam GARBAGE CAN is to receive and collect all such waste as the remains of lunches, waste Z3 paper, and dirt swept from the floor. Any loose papers on the floor or yard are collected with a sharp stick, not with the hands. The can should be emptied regularly into a hole in the ground, where the trash is burned. The contents should not be burned in the stove or on the open yard. A fly trap attached to the can is the most effective means of catching flies. W, W, GOLDEN A garbage can should be made of zinc or Smith County some metal that may be cleaned or sterilized occasion- ally. A close cover should be kept over the can as it cannot well be screened, and the danger of spreading disease is very great because of its use as a common depository. The can should be put into the most convenient place for the children. Just outside of the door is a good place if it is dry there. The children can then reach it from indoors and out. This convenient position removes all temptation to throw refuse on the floor and yard, and makes its usefulness more effective than if it were placed in some obscure place. Children will soon learn to look for a can. After this arrangement has been provided, it is not difficult to create among the children a desire for a clean house and yard, and a pride in keeping it clean. When this spirit is aroused among the children, the teacher's work is practically over. They will soon resent any attempt to spoil the appearance of the room or yard by throwing fruit, parings and paper on them. Paper will be more easily kept off the iioor if the waste basket is kept near the teacher's desk to collect waste for the garbage can. The school garbage can wields a still greater influence than this. The greatest influence it has is on the homes of the school children. When a little Qirl learns to ap- preciate the use of a garbage can at school, in a very short time she will look with hor- ror upon the old custom of throwing dish-water from the kitchen window, and will pro- vide a bucket into which she puts the refuse and sees that it is properly disposed of. The house is no longer allowed to go for days with paper or other useless things on the floorg a trash basket receives it as it accumulates. The yard is kept clean from paper and debris of any sort. The use of a barbage can leads to a habit of cleanliness, and a pride in things beautiful, which will create sanitary and beautiful homes, and consequently a happy, healthy, and proseerous people. W. W. GOLDEN. 16

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Nvrrnfiity fur larnprr Erating Zliarilitirz HE proper heating of the school room is one of the most important problems to be solved by the rural school. Time and progress have brought about a great change in the way the build- ings are heated. In the days of our fore fathers, the school house was heated by a big fire-place that extended across the whole end of the building. This old fashioned fire-place served its purpose for that day. This fire-place gave plenty of ventilation, a thing as important and necessary as heat, but it did not give a uniform degree of heat to the entire room. In order that a school room be in condition for a student to do his best work, the heat must be evenly distributed. One child must not be freezing while the other is baking. T. J. GUY Noxubee County There are several modern up-to-date Ways of heating that give satisfactory re- sults. In many of our city and consolidated schools, the buildings are heated by fur- naces, hot water, or steam. All these save the first are good where people are able to have such an equipment. Our rural schools, however, have not developed to that degree of efficiency as yet. Unless one of these systems of heating is installed, at least a properly jacketed stove is required. N o unjacketed stove should be tolerated in any school. These jackets keep the room evenly heated. The jacketed stove should have a direct fresh air inlet about twelve inches square, opening through the wall of the school house into the jacket against the middle or hottest part of the stove. The exit for foul air should be an opening at least sixteen inches square on the wall near the floor, on the side of the room where the stove is located. In using a stove one should keep a pan of water on it in order to preserve the humidity of the atmosphere. In order to know how to regulate the temperature of the room, it is necessary to have a good thermometer in a convenient place so that the teacher or child helper may see when the room is too warm or too cool. The temperature should not be allowed to go to either extreme, the correct temperature being about sixty-eight degrees. If a teacher will pay attention to the thermometer, this uniform degree may be easily kept. The school room should always have plenty of fresy air, a thing as necessary as plenty of heat. T. J. GUY. 18