The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-30

WOrks WHlC11 was DeSu III 1891, mas now
developed into large proportions, and
has not only been production of great
good, but has attracted the attention
of medical and educational circles both
at home and abroad. In this respect
seldom does a day pass that the De-
partment of Health does not receive in
quiries as to the detail of this safe
guarding of the health of the school
child. These inquiries come not only
from all the large American cities. but
also from nearby all foreign countries.
Even Germany which boasts of emil
hence in educational matters. And
they come not merely from Health
Departments and foreign governments,
but also from school boards and So
cieties. and many private persons are
interested in the work. Therefore, it
may not seem out of place to explain
at length the system in vogue.
COntagiOn in the school Room.
Previous to the adoption of the in
spection system, epidemics of scarlet
fever, diptheria, and measles frequent
ly occurred among the children at
tending the New York schools. es-
pecially those on the crowded East
Side. Investigation by medical ex-
perts showed that children were al
lowed to attend school while peel
ing" from scarlet fever or measles.
1t was found also that in many
mild cases of scarlet fever, measles
or diptheria there was no attending
physician, and the parents treated the
children with home remedies. The
cases were never reported to the De-
partment of Health, and nothing pre-
vented the children from returning to
the classroom when, in the opinion
of the parents. they had recovered.
1t was found that children were often
allowed to return not only while still
peeling, but before the bacilli had dis
appeared from the throat. Besides,
children in the family in which these
diseases occurred, We're allowed to
continue school attendance during the
entire illness of the patient.
How Diseases are Spread.
These, of course. are the conditions
which naturally prevail in any large
city like New York which has a con-
siderable section of its population
ignorant or careless on the subject of
infection. 1t can be COPIED with only
by a rigid system of daily medical
inspection of the children in the
schools. The need for this is greatest
in large cities; but it exists wherever
children congregate in considerable
numbers. On the East Side of New
York it is absolutely vital to the
maintenance of the public health.
This was the view taken by the in
vestigators who discovered the alarm
ing extent to which infection was
brought into the schools. One hun
dred and fifty medical inspectors were
appointed to go into the schools and
examine every child regularly. The
schools have been so grouped that
each inspector has under his charge
about 5000 children, and he is required
to inspect every one of them at least
once a week.
Inspectors must visit all public
schools assigned to them before 10
a. m. each school day. The first visit
is called the morning inspection, and
consists in calling at the schools to
inspect all children isolated by the
principal as possibly sick with some
contagious disease, all children who
have been absent from school for
few days, and all children excluded
from school attendance.
After the morning inspections have
been finished, the inspector returns to
one if his schools to make routine
inspection" The routine inspection
consists of a class to class examina-
ton of each child present.
How Children are Inspected.
The inspector enters a classroom and
stands with his back to a window, and
has the children pass before him. I'm
der no circumstance is an inspector al
lowed to touch a child in a classroom.
The children march by the inspector,
pull down their own eyelids and open
their mouths wide. As the children
pass, the inspector examines the eve
throat, hair and hands of each child.
l. tod 1f haxr inc ~,
trouble which is not quite evident, the
inspector orders the child to his office
in the school for a more thorough ex-
animation. Children showing signs of
measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria,
smallpox, varicella, rotheln, whooping
cough, mumps, acute catarrhal affec-
tions of eyes. nose and throat, are ex-
cluded from school forthwith.
Each child excluded from school is
given a properly filled-out Exclusion
card" giving the name, age and resi-
dence of the child, the number and
location of the school, and also the dis
ease causing exclusion. This exclusion
card is given to the principal, who
gives it to the child in a. sealed envel-
ope furnished by the Department of
Health.
Exclusion Cards Always Sealed.
1t may not be clear why the depart
nent requires all exclusion yards to
be put in sealed envelopes, but the
following experience shows the wis
dom Of the procedure. Before this
means was adopted, it was not un-
common to learn that a little tot"
excluded from school for a dirty head
would run along the streets eXultant-
ly showing this card to all her friends.
thinking it a good ticket" from
school. Imagine the chagrin of the
parents when they read the card thus
published abroad. and found that IL
excluded their child from school for
pediculosis capitis.
In cases of pediculosis, contagious
eve diseases and skin disease, the child
is allowed to return to class and IL
excluded at the next occurring re-
cess. The date on which II should re-
turn to school is marked on the back
of the exclusion card.
Cases of measles and scarlet fever
are telephoned by the school inspec-
tor to the central Office of the depart
ment of health, and each case is Wis
tied by a special diagnostician of the
department for the purpose of verify
ing the diagnosis. If the case Is con-
sidered true one. it is looked after
by the district inspector. If false, the
diagnostician gives the child card
allowing 1t to return to school again
Homes of Children Visited.
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