New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-04
SAVING THE CHILDREN.
DR.. Darlington Speaks on Methods
of Preventing Disease.
fFrona The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington. Oct 2.-Dr. Thomas Darlington,
Health Commissioner Of New York City, addressed
the eleventh annual conference Of the Eastern Pub
lie Education Associations tonight on Medical
Inspection of School Children in New York City"
Owing DR.. DarlinstOn's familiarity with his sub
tect an unusually large audience heard the speaker
who explained the methods usea 10 prevent disease
among the children OF New York and outlined his
plans for their further protection The association
has been in session since last Monday and held It's
last meeting tonight
DR.. Darlington said. IN part:
Starting In a modest way in Boston. In 1880 the
Importance Of this movement for the prevention
Of the common diseases OF chIldh0od ana me coz or
school child has spread with astonishing rapldits,
highest poInt Of effc,eucy the work has been natu
rally directed toward two conslderations. I5 IT,
the prevention and elimination Of CONTAGIOUS DIS
eases; second the detection and correction OF non
Until very recently the first named class OF cases
has received the greatest share Of Afternoon as
regarded as one OF the proper I1hCIous ~ .-a
tary authorities The second. and prooaDiy more
ing recognition It's Importance once established.
however the interest II has awakened may wei Dc
Before taking up the question OF the physical
crete aspect I wish 10 refer TO one more point.
which possibly above all others IL an aTgI-.e1 -
for its more vigorous enforcement Inls point .
In New YORK city the last annual sPRTSREaTlR9 a
s saFoens OF RgPs 7 nov children were sluded
from school attendance for Varylns ~ ~ ga
time for contagious diseases, and out OF H 100
found to be suffering from non-contaslous physical
Taxing into account the time lost from school
through illness as well as aeknoTedslng I= mo 70
a ASSN his educationai sd1a1sgss
able TO assume that large majority OF Lh19s> a1
c6s5 aed r OF R% Yo2 CtT Alone eve the
greater part Of the $4,000 spent for one year
could have been saved by the investment OF one.
TTegtsfh OF mar sum n m. pr cPde 9
New York City was the first municipality 70 IN
OF this nature both from the lack Of precedent
and accepted standards must necessarily reaEn IL
s a6f in q ISL tss %e% 4n YORK CIV Board Of Health
ennPloyed Phgsc1ans 70 EiSs Inc Of cases Of
contagious diseases In 1902 the woTk I7+i-a 81
animation of each child in the classroor1s In BAo
even more important step was TAKEN L0r j.
was then decided 70 undertake the pnysc@l as
covering non;coHtagtoEs PhysicaI de5eG[s This
work more erfective the Department OF Health Of
N ssT a0Fk vt Gg Of 6d hy 9 This dso
comprises all Of the agencies under the supervisor
Of the department which have 10 90 WIN me var
Under the previous system from The fnfor-1atios
treatnaent Tnder the present system about Is Per
dered more satisfactory by the fact that now We
not only know that the child IS recelvlng care out
is possible TO ascertain the exact nature and eK
When It is comprehended that our figures 1or pre-
vfous years demonstrate that more than 20 per cent
Of all the children examined show evidence OF pnysl-
cal ahnornality and that these defects are IN osr
instances remedial when placed under proper treat
ment. some idea may be cleaned OF the vast IN IN
Uortance Of this movement The connectlOn De-
tween neglected enlarged tonsils and adenoids and
the liability of contracting contagious diseases Of
- Ti5a Fs5d for Investigation MaInutrition
nnsns the door for a host OF Ills. Defective eye
sight and eve strain bring in their train many Evils
and the physically unfit child is seriously randi
CAPPED in ways numerous TO mention
No service which municipality can oHsr can De
Of higher type than this which assures TO its
children normal bodies and physical equality.