The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-30
SAFEGUARDING THE SCHOOL CHILD
Remarkable System of Medical Supervision Yor Pupils
Wnin is Attracting the Attention of Medical and Educational
Circles the World Over
By DIR. THOMAS DARLINGTON.
Commissioner of Health. New York CITY

scarlet fever and other contagious dis
eases are now reported than in pre-
Vious years; but there is no doubt
tnat there are actually fewer cases,
while the risk of epidemics is greatly
lessened.
over Six Million Examinations.
During the school year ending June,
1903, no fewer than 6,236S36 examina-
lions of children were made by the
inspectors. The average daily attend
ance at the schools were 2S7, 592. The
NUMBER or exclusions on account of
contagious ailments was 41,S26 The
principal cause of exclusion was con-
tagfous eye diseases, no fewer than
zo,z46 children being excluded on that
account good many children had
10 be excluded on account of dirty
7 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
mad been allowed TO exist in the pub
lie schools.
After 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 rec
concentrations were offered that each
child should have a separate locker
for its clothing, or that each child
should take care of it's own clothing
in his or her own desk. There has
been some improvement in this regard.
but not enough.
Injury to the Eyes by COntagion.
Later, Investigations were made as
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principals and teachers in caring for
the writing and drawing utensils Of the
children. number of cases of ira
ehoma have been known to be con-
tracted by putting pencils used pro-
mlseuously by several children in con-
tact with the eyes.
The manner in which this serious
question was grappled with shows the
thoroughgoing spirit that animates the
department Of Health in caring for the
health of the school children. The in
speotors were required 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 own pencil; no col
lection or distribution at all.
Number of classes in which pencils are
marked for identification, but coll
lected in a common box.
Number of classes in which pencils are
collected and distributed indiscrim-
inately each day.
Care of school Utensils.
The result of the investigation was
astonishing. Not so per cent. of the
principals and teachers took the slight
est interest or concern about the mat
ter of sanitary precautions in caring
for these utensils.
Some of the teachers used in theil
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
beginning of the class, and the pencils
and other articles used by the child
were handled only by the child itself
who removed the contents, replaced
them and clasped the envelope These
envelopes were then collected at the
end OF the class.
II would be better to allow each
child to place it's own envelope in his
or her desk. and thus avoid any pos
sihle 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 themselves supplied with them
Many school books at the homes of
children who have been i'll with con-
tagious diseases 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 contagious diseases reported
at the office of the department is sent
to each public library, and the depart
ment is notified when to remove and
disinfect the library books and return
them to the library.
Children with Dirty Heads.
The objection was made that too
many children were excluded from
school for trachoma and dirty heads.
and that in this war the medical in
spection had a tendency to encour-
age illiteracy There is no practical
danger of contagion from these chill
dren, provided they are under proper
treatment.
In order to lessen the number Of
children excluded in these classes, 1t
was decided that as long as the chill
dren could show signs that they we're
under treatment they might be allow
ed to attend class. But the number
that had to be excluded was so great
that they could not be attended to by
the dispensaries and in private; while,
on the other hand. they could not get
back into school until they were UNI
der treatment.
Nurses in Schools.
There was only one way out of this
quandary-to establish nursery staff
in connection with the schools. The
principal work Of the nurses-to put
II bluntly-is TO wash dirty heads, 80
that the children can go right back
into class without danger to their fell
lows.
Each nurse. like each inspector, is
assigned to a group of schools, which
she visits regularly. She is required
to keep a record OF all cases treated
by her at her schools. She has to
visit at their homes all children ex-
cluded from school when they do not
return for re-lnspection on the day
appointed by the school inspectors,
and also TO instruct parents IN the
proper way Of caring for their chill
dren's heads at home, and thus clear
I'D the sources of contagion.
During 1908 the school nurses I'm the
Borough of Manhattan administered
no fewer than 235.793 treatments
They paid nearly 10000 visits to tene-
ment houses, and over 1000 visits to
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