Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-23
no small Importance.

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diseases The former is a problem
which concerns the future as well as
| the present The latter is a problem
for the present only-the public schoo
is a public trust. The parent de-
livers his child over to the schools
and expects to have him handed
back in as good physical condition as
he was at first. Ventilation, exer-
else, play grounds, heating, lighting,
cleaning, adjusting school seats, the
need of physical work, defects of
sight, hearing, breathing, feeding and
cIothing-all of these subjects form
new science of school hygiene and
a physician s knowledge and skill will
be found necessary to supervise this
work. Progressive normal schools
have begun instruction along these
lines and soon all American teach
ers Will be examined upon their
knowledge Of how to prevent the
deaths of over a hundred thousand
school children who perish each year,
as we'll as how to prevent twelve
year old children from failing in
subjunctive mood or cube root
We have dwe1t upon the purpose
of medical inspection, let us view it
from an historical standpoint. While
America is progressive in many lines,
it is behind the other nations in this
movement. 1t is almost general in
England France, Belgium, Sweden,
Switzerland, Bulgaria, Japan, Argen-
tine Republic and practically so in
Germany. It was installed in France
about 1880 and about sixty years
later, 1890, introduced into Boston
While slow to arrive, it's movements
have been rapid and it's permanancy
assured. In the United States more
than seventy cities outside of Mass
| achusetts and all the cities in Mass
achusetts have systems of medical
inspection. Four states, Massachu-
sets, Connecticut, New Jersey and
Vermont has passed laws either re-
Quirirg medical examination or MAX
ing it permissible In Wisconsin,
Milwaukee and Superior were. the
first to install this system of inspec-
ton. La Crosse, Kenosha, Oshkosh
and many others followed within a
few years.
Inspection, ais has been said, deals
both with contagious and non con-
tagious diseases. The detection Of
these diseases is made by the teacher
in general she notifies the principal
who in turn notifies the medical in
spect0r. The physician goes to the
building, examines the child and rec
ommends that he be sent home if he
finds him afflicted with some con-
tagious disease. The printed form is
filled out by the principal noting the
disease from which the child is suf
fering and recommending that medi-
cal attention be given. The schools
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mating disease, the pupils are apt to
attend during the early stages of
diptheria and late stages OF scarlet
fever. Medical inspection greatly
reduces this danger. Dr. Durgin Of
Boston claims that since inspection,
diptheria has fallen off two-thirds and
other reasons for this but inspection
is one important reason. Since it is
impossible for the physicians to ex-
anime all the pupils every morning
the following plan is used in Lansing
Mich. Classes of instruction for
teachers are held to describe ways
in which to detect diseases. An eye,
ear, nose and throat specialist also
gives information in detecting weak
nesses along these lines. The Mass
achusetts State Board of Education
has gotten out for general distribu-
ton a pamphlet entitled, ''Some Gen
eraI Symptoms of Diseases in Child
IGu WHICH teachers SHOULD NOItC0
and on account of which Children
Should be Referred to the School
Physician In general it is consid
cred wise for the physician to visit
the school once a month or at least
once a term, but the greater respon-
sibility along the line of detecting
diseases falls on the teacher. During
a contagious epidemic however, the
physician will visit the school every
morning
A large percentage of school child
rem probably from one-fourth 10 one
third are afflicted with non-contag-
ious diseases. It has been noted in
many cases that not only the teach
ers but the parents and even the
pupils are ignorant of them. The
children become depressed and dis
couraged owing to their inability to