Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-29

principal, who gives it to the child in a
| sealed envelope furnished by the depart
| ment of health. es
1t may not be clear why the department
| requires all exclusion cards to be put in
| sealed envelopes, but the following expert
ence shows the wisdom of the procedure.
Before this means was adopted 1t was not
uncommon to learn, that little tot" ex-
cluded from school for a dirty head would
| run along the streets exultantly showing
this card to all her friends, thinking it a
good ticket" from school. Imagine the
chagrin of the parents when they read the
l card thus published abroad, and found that
it excluded their child from school for
pediculosis capitis.
In cases of pediculosis, contagious eye dis
eases and skin disease the child is allowed
next occurring recess. The date on which
it should return to school is marked on the
back of the exclusion card.
An Immediate Report.
Cases of measles and scarlet fever are
telephoned by the school inspector to the
central office of the department of health
and each case is visited by special dag
nostician of the department for the pur-
pose of verifying the diagnosis. If the case
is considered a true one, it is looked after
by the district inspector. If false. the dag
nostician gives the child card allowing 1t
to return to school again.
The inspectors work is not finished when
he has examined the children in the schools
He must find out from the principal the
names and addresses of all children who
have been absent for a few days without
proper excuse. He must then promptly visit
their homes to find out the reason for their
absence. In this way many cases of con-
tagious disease which have not been report
ed to the department of health are discov-
cred. No fewer than 800 cases of this kind
We're found during the period from Novem-
Der 2, 1903, to May II, 1904
One result of this thoroughgoing system
of inspection is to make 1t appear that New
York is unhealthier than it has ever been
before. Many more cases of measles, diph-
liberia, scarlet fever and other contagious
diseases are now reported than in previous
years; but there is no doubt that there are
actually fewer cases, while the risk OF cpl
denies is greatly lessened.
During the school year ended June, 1903
no fewer than 6,236,336 examinations of
children were made by the inspectors. The
average daily attendance at the schools
was 2S7, 500. The number of exclusions on
account of conta gious ailments was Al, S26
The principal cause of exclusion was con-
tagious eye diseases no fewer than 2o,246
children being excluded on that account. A
good many children had to be excluded on
account of dirty heads. The indignation of
parents on this score was twofold. Those
whose children were excluded ragged, but
those whose children were all right were
still more indignant when they became
aware that such conditions had been al
lowed to exist in the public schools.
Precautionary Measures.
After a short time an investigation was
made to ascertain what facilities existed in
the schools for the care of children's outer
garments. The facilities were not of the
best, and recommendations were offered
that each child should have separate
locker for it's clothing, or that each child
should take care of it's own clothing in his
or her own desk. There has been some i'm
provement In this regard, but not enough.
Later, Investigations were made as to the
means adopted by the school principals
and teachers in caring for the writing and
drawing utensils of the children. num-
Der of cases of trachoma have been known
to be contracted by putting pencils used
promiscuously by several children in con-
tact with the eyes.
The manner in which this serious ques-
ton was grappled with shows the thorough
going spirit that animates the department
of health in caring for the health of the
quired to fill in the following form for
each school:
School number.
Number OF classes In school.
Number of classes using envelopes.
Number of classes using antiseptic pencil holder.
Number Of classes using individual boxes or bags
Number of classes In which each pupil has his or
her pencil; collection distribution
Identification but collected in common box;
Number of classes in which pencils collected
and distributed indiscriminately each day.
The result of the investigation was as
tonishing. Not so per cent of the prfnci-
pals and teachers took the slightest inter-
est or concern about the matter of sanf-
tary precautions in caring for these uten-
sis
In Separate Envelopes.
Some of the teachers used in their own
classes some up-to-date means of keeping
each child's writing utensils separate. The
cheapest and best means, and the method
later Endorsed by the department of health.
was a large manila envelope, the face of
which was marked with the child's name
The envelope was given out at the be-
ginning of the class, and the pencils and
other articles used by the child were hand
led only by the child itself, who removed
the envelope. These envelopes were then
collected at the end of the class.
1t would be better to allow each child to
place its own envelope in his or her desk
and thus avoid any possible contact of the
envelopes handled by the pupils
These envelopes were later furnished by
the board of education to all schools, and
all teachers were required to keep them
selves supplied with them
Many school books at the homes of chill
dren who have been i'll with contagious
disease are destroyed by fire; others are
thoroughly disinfected by the department
of health when the case is terminated.
Public library books, when at the homes
of children sick with contagious diseases,
are disinfected before they are returned
to the library. A daily list of all con-
tagious diseases reported at the Office of
the department is sent to each public
library, and the department is notified when
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