The evening times., 1900-01-05

The Health Officer OF the District will
make another attempt during this session
of Congress to have a bill passed which
| will authorize the medical inspection Of
the pupils OF the public schools. This sub
ject is one which has been discussed at
some length by the various citizens asso-
Citations in the District, and it has also
been brought to the attention of the Com
missioners through several special reports
Oh the matter by the Health Officer. In a
number of cities the system which Dr.
Woodward desires to have adopted here
has been tried and has been found to work
with remarkable success.
One of the first States to take the mat
ter under consideration was Rtode Island
and school inspection formed a topic or
discussion at the meetings of the State
board Of health. After going over the
ground thoroughly the health authorities
came TO the conclusion that the medical
inspection Of the school children was the
only manner in which disease could be
checked and its appearance prevented. In
order to obtain the daily inspection OF
each school Ii was found necessary to en-
pioy large corps of skilled physicians
who should visit the schools each morning
and make a report to the health officer.
In the territory on which the Rhode Isl
and authorities based their calculations. the
city OF Providence. there were %. .562 schol-
ars attending the public schools. Ii is es-
timated that at least thirty physicians
would be required to thoroughly cover all
of the districts in Washington. allotting
four schools TO each physician. The time
required in the inspection Will not exceed
half an hour in the morning and the pre-
liminary work TO the examination is TO be-
done by the teacher.
She may observe q child with a piece OF
red nanHel wound around his or her neck
and which must have been placed there for
some reason. usually on account of a sore
throat. \ child may appear more than
usually flushed or iistless. in these cases
enquiry should be made OF the scholar. dc-
ccrdinR TO the instructions which II is in
tended 10 Issue. With these instructions
the teacher may at once ascertain the
cause Uf the indisposition as far as the
child is able 10 give it. and If in her opin-
ion the child is really sick he Ut she will
be sent 20 the room where the inspection
is made and wait for the Inspector 10 make
his rounds
In the list Of questions to be put TO the
scholars there are several which are said
10 be Of great Importance. Enquiries are
to be made regarding sickness at the
homes of the scholars. They are TO be
closely question regarding the existence
of measles. mumps or chickenpOx o. other
contagious disease. The members Of fami-
lies having such diseases in their midst
should be kept out of school and unless the
enquiry Is made there Is no way for the
authorities TO find out about the matter. |
1t is expected that there Will be opposition |
from the parents of some OF the children |
to the strict adherence Of the inspectors TO |
the rules which are to be proposed. ma /
iority however. Will favor the plan. DR.. !
Woodward hopes.
The system now in force In New York 4
requires he inspectors to report 10 the /
schools to which thsy have been assigned
between 5 so and 9:30 A. III. each morning
that school sessions are held. They are re-
Iuirsd 10 carefully examine each child that
has been isolated .rtTo teachers in charge
and cause TO be excluded from the school
each one affected with or showing symp
toms of any contagious or infectious dis /
ease. more especially those Of a violent
type.
Each of the pupils who are excluded
is furnished with a printed card upon 1
which is noted the name date. and location /
Of the school, together with the name. age, |
and address OF the child, and the reason /
Tor its exclusion. These cards are signed /
by the inspectors and are taken home by /
the pupils Each day after leaving tae
schools to which he is assigned. the inspec-
tor makes out report. giving the name. |
late, and location of the school. the num- /
Der of children examined. and the time con- /
sumcd In the examination. together with /
any remarks the inspector may deem fit TO 1
make on any of the cases.
All of the children excluded from the |
schools are visited. within twenty -four /
hours of the time they were first exam
med, by the diagnOstician Of the school /
board. who re-examines the cases. and if /
le deems ii necessary to keep the child |
,ut of school a postal card is mailed to the !
school notifying the principal of the action |
AIKEN When the child has recovered and |
he rooms at his home have been fumi-
gated and disinfected a certificate is is
'ued by the inspector, or visiting physician.
md the pupil is permitted 10 resume his
studies.
This is the system which If is the iaten- |
ion of the Health Officer to have adopted |
lere if he can secure the necessary funds |
o carry out his plans. Almost every one of
ne citizens associations endorse the plan