probable that attention needs to be directed now especially to the baneful influence of imperfect respiration upon the conduct and intellectual activity of children. In a general way, people doubtless appreciate the intimate relations existing between good breathing, and health of body and mind; but, after all, the majority of us who have to do with the young seem quite indifferent to this matter, mainly because conditions which interfere with proper respiration are not readily detected by the untrained eye. Occasionally a parent who sees that his child breathes through his mouth much of the time suspects that there must be some interference with respiration; but if he keeps his mouth closed, the parent passes him up as all right, and the teacher does the same, even though he may be dull and disorderly in the school, and without apparent cause. However, there are cases of defective respiration that are not manifested by mouth breathing, but they may act as a blight upon the child's life. Probably the most serious consequences of defective respiration occur during sleep, when the nervous system is partly relaxed, and ought to be completely So. It is well known that enlarged tonsils and adenoid tissue sometimes fill up the respiratory passages during sleep, but may be kept fairly well out of way during the day by reflex nervous control.

The writer has followed very carefully two children who were for a time the victims of defective respiration. Both had much trouble with breathing during sleep, and were usually quite restless, so that they rarely secured perfect rest at night. As a consequence, they were both in a fatigued and irritable condition most of the time. With one child the disastrous effect of this condition was manifested in general lethargy, a growing indifference to everything around, and a lessening of keenness and endurance in all intellectual operations. With the other child the over-tense condition of the nervous system resulted in lack of self-control. He was

unmanageable much of the time, flew into a passion on the slightest provocation, and was often in tears over slight annoyances. Nobody seemed to know what was the trouble with him. Parents and teachers alike tried to arouse the first child, through dermal stimulations as well as exhortation, but to no avail. The second child became a great problem because of his hostility a good part of the time to everybody and everything, and his peevish, petulant disposition. In both cases much attention was given to food and healthful habits of life, but no one thought to notice their breathing at night. Some comment was made upon their restlessness in their sleep, and this was thought to be due to their

nervousness, and not to their inability to breathe easily.

Upon examination finally, serious barriers to good respiration were discovered. An operation was performed upon both the children, enlarged tonsils being removed in one case, and adenoid tissue in the other. Immediately there was improvement. The lethargic, indifferent child came slowly but surely back to her original attitude of sprightliness and vivacity. Every day one could see her gaining in alertness, and now she is as responsive to the world as one could wish, and making excellent progress in all her school work. The second child has acquired much self-control, though his difficulty has not been relieved so completely as could be desired. But there can be no question whatever that the cause of the shortcoming in both children was improper oxygenation of the blood, and restlessness during sleep. Of course, the organism suffers severely when it is difficult to obtain a sufficient supply of oxygen, but this is after all not so important as the nervous effect of inability to breathe.

The importance of this matter demands that investigations should be made in all public schools to determine if there are any obstructions in the respiratory passages of pupils. It needs no argument to show that if left to the initiative of parents, not

one case of defect in a hundred will be discovered. The experience of people in the examination of eyes and ears has shown this. But unhappily many parents are apt to think that this interferes with their rights, or they are afraid that their children will be injured in some way. People are always hostile to any innovations of this character. There is hardly a city in the country where children's eyes and ears have been examined that teachers and specialists have not had to fight for the privilege. The attitude of the typical parent was illustrated last fall in a city which represents itself as progressive, when it was proposed to have examinations made by specialists of the condition of the teeth and throats of school children. So many parents sent in protests that the board of education refused to have the work done, though it was to cost them nothing. But there has never been an instance, so far as the writer is aware, of examinations having been made by properly trained persons, when parents have not been delighted with the results; and this fact should warrant those who know the necessity of it in urging its prosecution, even in the face of a good deal of opposition.

CHAPTER II

PROBLEMS OF DISCIPLINE

WHAT is a "spoiled" child? The term is a relative one; it can not be well defined abstractly, other than to say that one who is conThe "spoiled" child stantly at odds with the people about him, or hostile to the rules of conduct of the society in which he lives is "spoiled." It is, though, a matter of degree; every immature creature is to a greater or less extent ill-adjusted to its environment. Maturity really means perfected adaptation. But here is a boy who would be recognized almost at once as a "spoiled" child. He is eight years of age, and there is no instance on record when he readily and cheerfully acquiesced in any suggestion affecting his action, and made by the members of his family, unless it happened to be exactly in the line of his desires. He is a bully through and through. He issues commands to those older as well as those younger than himself; and he is an adept in the use of a variety of arts, with which nature endows every child in greater or less degree, to get his mandates carried