Y THE time high school days are
past and the youth is ready for
.Z college or university, his mental
pattern is pretty well established, and his
physical development essentially com-
plete in many cases. Some reach this
mental stage before the physical develop-
ment catches up.
In this period the contagious diseases
are relatively rare. However, some stu-
dents will have escaped infection in
earlier life, and will have measles,
mumps, scarlet fever, or chicken pox
while in college. Usually educational
‘institutions of today are equipped with
medical staffs and hospitals, so that such
cases receive prompt and proper care.
By this time most young people have
decided upon their lifework, and if not,
they certainly ought to do so as soon as
possible. Thus they are in college for a
definite purpose of training, and a fair
percentage are so intent upon achieving
this end that they are tempted to over-
work. Among all students there is a
tremendous demand upon the eyes,
which have up to this time seemed normal
PAGE 10
Building Stronger School Children — IV
ale and Hearty College Youth
By George A. Skinner, M.D.
and able to endure any use, but now
begin to show strain. Hence if there is
any eye discomfort, the eyes should be
promptly examined by an expert to
determine accurately and scientifically
what error exists. Practically no eye is
optically perfect, although in many in-
stances the error is so slight that it does
not interfere with very prolonged and
near work. But if we recall that nor-
mally the eyes are designed for use mostly
at a distance, and that all near work re-
quires the use of the eye muscles to hold
the lens in the proper curve so that the
images will exactly focus on the eye
nerves (retina), it is not strange that these
muscles get tired. Like other muscles,
they are strengthened by training. They
can be overworked, and the fatigue is
often expressed by headaches, scratchy
and reddened eyelids, or actual pain in
the eyeballs.
If the eyes are irregular, and the effort
of the eye muscles is excessive in making a
proper focus, fatigue will come much
sooner. Sometimes the eyeball is actually
too long or too short, and the muscles
cannot overcome the defect. Then we
say a person is “near sighted” or “far
sighted.” In neither case can they see
distinctly at the ordinary reading dis-
tance, which is about 15 inches. If this
defect is severe, it is usually noted in
early life and correction is made by
glasses. However, because one correc-
tion has been made, this does not indicate
that nothing further will be necessary,
because as growth proceeds the eyeballs
may also change somewhat and require a
change in the lenses. Our most valuable
special sense should be carefully and fre-
quently checked to be sure that the
glasses correct the defect. This cannot be
done with “ten-cent-store’’ glasses. Often
great damage is done to eyes by inexpert
fitting. The best skill available ought to
be used when any eye defect is present.
In the rapid and tremendous mental
changes that take place in the passage
from the child to the adult status, not all
persons survive without damage. In
some cases this damage shows promptly,
and in others it is delayed until one is
well into the college age. Sometimes the
mental shock or injury is so great that
there is no doubt about it, and something
is done at once, either in assigning the
youth to an institution or by giving ade-
quate treatment at home. This last is
rarely possible and almost never de-
sirable.
In other cases the changes develop very
slowly, and are often not observed for a
long time, as people usually will not
admit such possibilities in their family.
Mental sickness seems to be taken a:
some sort of stain on the family name, and
hence any suggestion in this line is re-
sisted tenaciously. But mental sickness,
as well as physical occurs, and often is
College degrees and diplomas mean more to the
youth when they are backed by strong bodies and
good health.
THE WATCHMAN MAGAZINE