The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-10
HEALTH IN THE SCHOOLS.
Paper Read by DR.. Cahill Before tn
Roerd of Jaa1th Yesterday

4
| At q meeting of the board of health
held yesterday afternoon DR.. Wright
made a report as to contagious diseases,
which showed that the past month of
| September was more healthful than
| September of last year. The contagious
! diseases reported were three diphtheria
cases three of scarlet fever and twenty
one of typhoid fever. Nine OF the ty-
phoid cases were from out of town. The
cases last year were: Diphtheria, six;
scarlet fever, seven; typhoid fever,
thirty OF the thirty typhoid fever
cases last year only three were from
other places.
A paper on "Medico Municipal Sug-
gestions in Regard to Medical Supervi-
sion in the Public Schools was read by
T. M. Cahill, M D., in accordance with
the following resolution which were
adopted at meeting of the New Ha
ven Medical association held Wednes-
day, October g. 1900:
Voted-That copies of this paper be
sent to his honor the mayor of the city
Of New Haven and the honorable boards
of education and health.
Voted-That the New Haven Medical
association indorses the suggestions en-
bodied in this paper.
Voted-That it is the desire of the
New Haven Medical association that
medical inspection Of the pupils Of the
public schools be instituted and con-
Quoted under the supervision of the
board of health.
The paper as read at the meeting was
substantially as follows:
Some few years ago there was in
troduced before the honorable board of
health Of this city resolution recon-
mending the adoption of plan for the
Introduction of medical inspection of
the pupils in attendance in our public
schools. | am reliably Informed that
the idea was favorably received by The
health commission, as then constituted;
bur for some unknown reason the mat
ter was allowed to die the usual natu-
raj death of all such resolutions which
are not pushed to a successful issue
and only progress by suggestive
inertia
After relating the action taken by
nearly all the specialists in diseases of
the eye residing in this city, In response
to suggestions offered by members Of
the merical society, In constituting
themselves a committee to give gratui-,
tous instruction to the teachers in the
public schools as to how to detect de-
fective eyesight among the pupils, DR..
Cahill says:
Il have yet to hear of the slightest
criticism Of the action of the superin-
tendent Of schools for his decision in
this important matter, and | am salts
fled that the results obtained more than
compensated the physicians and the
teachers for their self-sacrifice in the
cause Of good health and good citizen
ship.
IF the medical examination of the
eyes of the school children was deemed
Of such Importance to those having their
well-being at heart, why should not the
of the throats, the ears the
scalps, the skin-in fact the general
health of these same chlldren-be adj
vantageous to them and to the COM
How many families are there
in this city who can, with justice and
point the finger Of horror and
remorse at our public schools as the Inn
cause OF one, tWo-aye, even
three, empty chairs at the fireside! How
many sleepless nights have been passed
by the mothers of these little ones in
the hopelessly vain attempt to combat
the effects of those dread diseases, diph-
iberia, scarlet fever, whooping cough
and measles? / proclaim 1t as an hon
nest belief that in great majority of
cases the beginning of an epidemic of
these diseases can be directly traced to
that hot-bed Of contagion the public |
school room There are, approximately,
20, eco children in attendance in our
schools this year, huddled together like
sheep in VIGOROUSLY overcrowded and
poorly ventilated rooms, thumbing the
dirty, cast-aside books of their prede-
,essors and, alasl possibly sucking the
pencils and penholders of their unfort-
mate schoolmates who may have pass |
ID over to the silent majority through |
he agency of one or more of the afore-
mentioned diseases.
Right here, and In the most emphat-
C manner possible, | wish to acknowl-
,dge my most hearty approval of the
system of free books introduced some
years ago In our public schools; but as
pHYSlCldL L all CbuSli dillSu " bS-
ieve that this system Is not without
is drawbacks. Free books, free pencils,
rec penholders, etc. are all right, and !
he mind that conceived the idea was
lot an ordinary mind; but, gentlemen,
he results of this idea can only be
UP after careful and minute
Examination Of the records of the reg
strar of births deaths and marriages!
)ur excellent board of health, through
is efficient health officer, exhausts
very effort to properly disinfect and
the premises cursed by an In
ections visitation, ending in the death
# one of these 'innocents; but | have
ret to learn that this so-called disin-
ection and fumigation is carried on in
he school-room where the disease prob
bly, originated, or that the pencils and
,enholders Of the little one were de-
troyed or even immersed III an anti
optic solution"
DR. Cahill further spoke of the super
isorship Of the general health and spe-
ial diseases pertaining to school chill
rem, which he believes to be of enough
Importance to be classed as para
Mount issue." Continuing, the doctor
avs:
I'm our city the medical profession
'as al the present time representation
pom only one municipal board, or COM I
Mission, namely, the health department.
nee upon time, not many years ago,