I LB LO 444-312-500-951 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS No. 141 FOUR TIMES A MONTH OFFICIAL SERIES No. 42 FEBRUARY 15, 1910 Physiology and Hygiene in the High School By J. THOS. PATTERSON /' ^ OF THE f UNIVER8 Published by THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN, TEXAS ^ Entered as second-class mail matter at the postoffice at Austin, Texas AUSTIN PRINTING COMPANY AUSTIN. TEXAS 1912 Cultivated inind is the guardian genius of democracy ... It is the only dictator that freemen acknowledge and the only security that freemen desire. President Mirabeau B. Lamar. PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS The frequent requests coming to the University for information concerning the teaching of physiology in the secondary schools of the state, together with the inquiries directed to the Visitor of Schools as to how affiliation may be obtained in this subject, have prompted the publication of this bulletin. The object of the bul- letin, therefore, may be said to be twofold :. first, to give some sug- gestions to the superintendents and teachers of the state that may help them in organizing the work in physiology; and, second, to facilitate the work of affiliation by suggesting the minimum re- quirements for a one-half unit entrance credit at the University. A knowledge of the elementary principles of physiology, hy- giene, and sanitation is of fundamental importance to the welfare of the community ; and, while this fact is generally recognized, it is doubtful whether any other subject of such intrinsic importance as physiology has been more generally neglected and less effect- ively taught in our High Schools. It is believed by many that this unfortunate state of affairs has been brought about very largely as a result of too mudK emphasis being placed on anatomy, and not enough on pure physiology and hygiene. The subject should be so presented as to give to the individual the greatest possible benefit, and to be of practical value to him in meeting the prob- lems of his daily life. One must agree that the over-emphasis of anatomy is a cause for the ineffectiveness of physiology teaching, and that there is need of a reorganization of the work along the lines just sug- gested. A careful study of the problem, nevertheless, forces one to the conviction that the prime difficulty lies in the fact that too many of our teachers have had no special training in physiology. Th^re seems to be a. more or less popular notion that any normal or college graduate can teach physiology successfully, and conse- quently there is a great tendency for superintendents to assign the physiology to teachers who have no aptitude for biological sub- jects, or who have not had adequate training in the work. No greater mistake is possible, or more sure of giving unsatisfactory results. It is a well known fact that no one can teach up to the 32783G 4' * ^* Blilliinn- trf the University of Texas limits of 'his knowledge of a subject, and any teacher looking for- ward to giving work in physiology, equivalent to one-half unit of credit, should take not less than a year's work under competent instruction. REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFILIATION TEXT-BOOKS. In the light of what has been said above, the selection of a text- book becomes of paramount importance and this all the more so because a great many of the elementary texts are crowded full of anatomical details, with but little emphasis on physiology and hygiene. It is true that one can not appreciate physiology with- out some knowledge of morphology, but the greater part of the necessary anatomy is more easily understood from a study of demonstrations in the laboratory than from reading descriptions in text-books. The selection of a text will depend upon the age of the pupils for whom it is intended. It is evident that for the first or second year of the high school a more elementary book should be used than for the third or fourth year. If the physiology is offered in the first or second year, one of the following books may be used : Overton's Applied Physiology, Advanced (American Book Company) ; A Practical Physiology, by Blaisdell (Ginn & Company) ; The Human Body and Health, by Davison (American Book Company) ; Martin's Human Body (briefer course), (Henry Holt & Company) ; High School Physi- ology, by Hewes (American Book Company). The Human Mechanism, by Hough . and Sedgwick ( Ginn & Co.) , should, if possible, be used in the Junior or Senior year. In the writer 's judgment, this is by far the best r text-book for High School work in physiology that has so far appeared. The subject is clearly and simply presented, and the authors have done this without sacrificing scientific accuracy. LABORATORY WORK. 1. To Be Done by the Teacher. It is impossible to give a successful course in physiology with- out requiring laboratory work of the pupils ; but there are certain parts of the work that should be done by the teacher. In general, it is not advisable to require of young pupils dissections of the 6 Bulletin of the University of Texas character necessary for physiology. The dissections should be done in private by the teacher, and then demonstrated to the class in the laboratory. All of the more important organs, such as heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, etc., should be demonstrated in this way ; and for this purpose any common mammal ( cat, rabbit, rat, or mouse) may be used, or the organs of large animals ob- tained from the local butchers will serve. 2. To Be Done by the Pupils. It is better perhaps to use a text-boo^ in which laboratory work is indicated, but in order that the courses may be as uniform as possible, the following sample experiments are suggested, of which not less than thirty carefully selected ones should be per- formed. These exercises are taken, for the most part, from Brown's Physiology for the Laboratory (Ginn & Co.), a book which it would be advisable for the teacher to secure. The Bones. 1. A fresh bone sawed lengthwise ; to study the gross structure of bones. 2. Joints of pig and beef ; to study the various types of joints and the structure of the synovial cavity and membrane. 3. Several consecutive vertebrae; to show their method of articulation in the vertebral column. 4. A simple lever ; to demonstrate the different types of levers in bones. 5. Remove the animal matter in a bone by heating; to show the presence of mineral matter. 6. Remove the mineral matter by treating the bone with a dilute acid; to show the presence of animal matter. The. Muscles. 1. Leg of a frog or toad; to study the parts of a typical muscle. 8. A piece of. lean corned beef; to study the structure of a muscle. 9. A frog, just recently etheri/od : stimulate the exposed rhysioloyy and Hygiene In the Hiyh School 7 sciatic nerve and study the reactions occurring 1 in the gastrocne- mius muscle. 10. Study the actions of the muscles in the arm. The Blood. 11. A drop of human blood; to study the elements of the blood. 12. Fresh frog's blood; allow the blood to stand, and study the process of clotting. 13. Large beef hearts; to study the cavities, the valves, and the connecting vessels of the heart, 14. Fresh frog's blood; breathe into the fresh blood, and study the effect of the presence or absence of oxygen on the color of the blood. 15. A frog recently etherized; expose heart, and study the action of the heart. 16. Circulation of blood; use a living frog, and study the cir- culation of the blood in the web of the foot. ij System. 17. Lungs ami trachea of large animal; to study the gross structure of the respiratory system. 18. Pass the air from the lungs through lime water ; to show the presence of carbon dioxide. 11). Study the mechanism of respiration in the human body. Digestive System. 20. Demonstrate the entire digestive system of some mammal. 21. Study the different kinds of teeth. 22. Study the character of the principal foodstuffs. 2-S. Salivary digestion; study the effect of diastase on starch paste. 24. Gastric digestion ; study the effect of pepsin on lean meat. 25. Pancreatic digestion ; study the effect of pancreatin on foods. Bulletin of the University of Texas Excretory System. 26. Study the gross structure of the kidney of any large animal. 27. Study the structure of the skin. Nervous System. 28. Study the brain of the sheep or cat. 29. Spinal cord of a large animal ; to study the way in which the roots of the spinal nerves arise. 30. Demonstrate the sympathetic ganglia. 31. Etherize a frog and sever the spinal cord from the brain, and destroy the latter ; to study reflex action in the spinal cord. The Special Senses. 32. Eye of an ox ; to study the structure of the eye. 33. By means of a double convex lens throw the image of a candle-flame on a ground glass plate: to study the method by which an image is formed by the lens of the eye. 34. Study "accommodation," defects in vision (nearsighted- ness and farsightedness), and "astigmatism" in the eye. 35. Study the structure of the ear of any large animal. 36. Test the hearing by holding a watch at different distances from the ear. 37. Use a pair of dividers and test the sensibility of the skin. 38. Test the senses of smell and taste. The Bacteria-. 39. Have a fly walk across the sterilized nutrient gelatin in a Petri dish, and study the infections that follow. 40. Study the bacteria of the air, water, and milk, by the Petri dish method. NOTE BOOK. Each student should be required to keep a note book, in which are recorded drawings, accounts of experiments performed, ap- paratus used, and comments upon the work. The teacher should insist upon having the notes written neatly, clearly and concisely. Physiology and Hygiene In the High School 9 Drawings should be clear outlines of the objects illustrated. The notes should not be taken from the laboratory by the student, and the teacher should examine them frequently to see that the work is being done properly. / LABORATORY EQUIPMENT. Microscope and Accessories. At least one compound microscope. One box of glass slides. A set of instruments consisting of scissors, forceps, scalpel, dis- secting needles, and bone-forceps. One box of cover glasses. One hand section razor. One double convex lens, two inches in diameter. One half-dozen medicine droppers. Glass and rubber tubing. Two dozen test-tubes. Six Petri dishes, four inches in diameter. CHEMICALS. Three per cent hydrochloric acid, 200 c.c. Nitric acid, 200 c.c. Strong ammonia, 200 c.c. Ninety-five per cent alcohol (ethyl alcohol), 500 c.c. Ether, 200 c.c. Chloroform, 600 c.c. Caustic soda potash, 500 c.c. Castor oil, 400 c.c. Tincture of iodine, 50 c.c. Glycerine, 200 c.c. Bichromate of potash, 200 c.c. Methyl green stain, 200 c.c., in solution. Sodium carbonate, 200 c.c. Formalin, 2000 c.c. Two pounds of nutrient gelatin. The microscope, accessories, and chemicals may be secured from Bauseh & Lomb, Rochester, N. Y. ; or the chemicals from Eimer 10 Bulletin of the University of Texas & Amend, 205-211 Third Avenue, New York City. Any other re- agents that may be needed from time to time may be secured from the local drug stores, and all of the varjous materials used in the experiments, such as starch, flour, sugar, eggs, pancreatin, rennet, etc., can also be bought from local dealers. It is estimated that the above equipment can be had at a cost not to exceed $50 or $60. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS The course outlined above meets the minimum requirements for affiliation for one-half unit of entrance credit; and, as may be seen, it represents a very modest beginning. There are some High Schools in the State in which more comprehensive courses are now offered; but, as the work in physiology becomes better organized, the requirements for affiliation in this subject will be raised. Advancement in standards should be made along the fol- lowing lines 1 : Better Laboratory Equipment. The study of any course in natural science should result in a twofold value to the student : (1) Its practical value, and (2) its value in developing the power of independent thought. The latter is secured mainly through efficient laboratory work, and to do efficient work re- quires a good laboratory equipment, i. e., one that will permit, each student to have his own instruments, and work inde- pendently of the rest of the class. The laboratory should be equipped, therefore, with a compound microscope and a dissect- ing set for each student. The following pieces of apparatus also should be added to the equipment : (1) A mounted human skeleton ; (2) a model show- ing the positions of the organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavities ; (3) a model of section through the head, showing mouth, nose, throat, and position of the brain in the cranium; (4) models of circulatory organs, eye, ear. and throat; (5) a mechanical circulatory apparatus; (6) a mechanical respiratory apparatus; (7) an artificial eye. The mounted skeleton and models may be secured from the Kny-Scheerer Co., 225 Fourth Avenue, New York, and the other supplies from the Harvard Supply Co., Brookline, Mass. If the funds will permit, a set of prepared slides, showing all of the more important tissues, should be secured for the labora- tory. Reference Books. The students should have access to a number of the more important books on physiology, hygiene, and sanita- tion. Among these may be mentioned Howell's Text-Book of 12 Bulletin of the University of Texas Physiology, 2d edition (Saunders & Co.) ; Civics and Health, by Allen (Ginn & Co.) ; Food and Dietetics, by Hutchinson (Wm. Ward & Co.) ; Pyle's Personal Hygiene (Saunders & Co.) ; Prin- ciples of Sanitary Science and Public Health, by Sedgwick (Mac- millan & Co.). More Emphasis on Pure Physiology and Sanitation. It has been pointed out that there is great need of placing emphasis on physiology and hygiene, rather than on anatomy. In the above outline about all the necessary anatomy is indicated, and any additional laboratory experiments, therefore, should be of a purely physiological character. In selecting such experiments the teacher can get good suggestions by consulting Porter's An Intro- duction to Physiology ( J. B. Lippincott) . In the selection of topics pertaining to sanitation, the teacher must be guided by local conditions, for each community has its special sanitary problems. Thus, in a region where malaria is prevalent, the cause of that disease and how to get rid of mos- quitoes are topics to be considered ; and in a community in which typhoid fever occurs the subjects of drinking water and sewage should be carefully considered. On Teaching the Physiology of Reproduction. Several letters which have been received here inquiring about the advisability of teaching the physiology of reproduction, make it necessary to add a word upon this point. The advisability of teaching this subject to High School students must depend, to a very great extent, on the personality of the teacher. In teaching the physiology of de- velopment it is not necessary to select a highly-developed form ; a simple type, like the frog, can be used. It is possible to explain the whole process of fertilization and early development by referring to the essentials of the physiology of reproduction in the frog. J. THOS. PATTERSON. XJtiJ-k> -OV/V/JUX M* JLX w iJ v*i STAMPED BEI