The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-19
Need of Medical Inspection.

ors are made to furnish desired informa-
ton and advice
Need of Medical inspection.
Referring to the work of State Medical
Inspector DR. +. f. Clark. whu was en-
ployed in 1907 to visit the various towns
and other localities and inspect sanitary
conditions inquire into needs and instruct
local health officers and the public gen
orally. Dr. Beatty says he considers such
work indispensable to the efficient admin
istration OF the health organization and
the promotion of the public health. lie
regretted that the work had to be dts
continued for lack of sufficient funds. The
expenses of this officer were betrayed
from the contingent fund of the board OF
health and this fund proved insufficient
DIR. Beatty reports on the scope and I'M
portance of the work performed by DR..
Clark and includes in his own report eX-
amples of DIR. Clarks reports, which show
that DR.. Clark was very busily engaged
and that he visited many localities ana
in many instances made repeated visits
when conditions required The nope IS
expressed that a definite appropriation
will be made by the present legislature
to enable the state board to constantly
employ an Inspector
Regarding meteorological examinations
of specimens submitted in cases of sus-
pected tuberculosis, diphtheria ana other
diseases. the laboratory work OF whlcn
has been performed by the secretary OF
the board with the assistance of the state
chemist without charge to the state or
person submitting the specimens. except
the cost of the material paid by the state,
the report says: Including examinations
for tuberculosis, diphtheria, anthrax,
chambers and other diseases, 1900 examlna-
tons have been made, of which about 600
were for suspected tuberculosis
School Sanitation.
Attention is called to the fact that the
bill presented by the board at the last ses-
sion of the legislature providing for the
sanitary construction of school buildings
failed of enactment and the recommenda-
ton is made that bill of the same char
acteT be passed by the present session.
The report goes into the needs OF such a
measure at considerable length and at
tentiOn Is called TO a statement by the
superintendent Of public instruction that
several hundred thousand dollars nave
been expended in the construction OF
school buildings during the last two years
with no regard paid to sanitation except IN
a very few instances.
Reference is made to the fact that
teachers and the public generally are
growing to recognize the Importance of
attacking diseases in the schools, and Dr.
Beatty says: Here originate a majority
of the cases Of communicable diseases,
and increasing care should be taken in
limiting the danger. The earliest symp-
toms of disease should be discovered and
the child promptly excluded from school
lie states that mild cases are most dan
I
cation, as they frequently escape notice
In his estimation a severe penalty should
be inflicted for concealing contagious dis
eases and permitting children so affected
to attend school.
The duty of teachers i'm instructing pu-
| pills concerning health matters and the
advisability of teaching disease prevention
I'm an elementary degree in schools Is
touched upon. and reference made to a
law enacted at the instance of the state
! board of health, providing that such a
course of instruction shall be Installed IN
the schools. 1t is stated that the secretary
of the board mas been in readiness, when
called upon. to address teachers meetings
on these points and that he has addressed
such meetings in various parts OF the
state. The health problem in the schools
is considered very important by DR.. Beat
~ and he devOtes considerable space to
il. He particularly lays stress upon one
health problem which. he says, Is too
commonly overlooked and which is respon-
sible for serious and widespread injury to
the health and mental progress of pupils
He says;
Defects In Vision.
MANY children have defects Of vision
and hearing or are affected with mouth
breathing. usually caused by adenoids,
and these conditions should be corrected.
1t is extremely difficult to devise q method
that will effectively secure their discovery
Parents should b. impressed with the i'm
pOTtance of an examination by a compe-
tent physician for the purpose. but this is
not usually done.
'.'The time will come vvher no child will
be permitted to attend school without hav-
| ing been examined physically with Wow
to the correction Of existing defects tina:
| interfere with mental and physical devel-
/ opment'
This matter has been considered so i'm
portant, SAYS DR.. Beatty, that the board
has taken considerable pains to distribute
q chart among all the schools In the stare
| for the use of teachers I'm applying rough
| test for the detection of defects OF vision
and hearing and Of adcnoids, with cards
of warning to parents. The returns from
these have, as vet. not been very co'n-
| plete. but il is hoped there will be a more
| general compliance with the efforts of the
| board on tine part of the teachers.
/ Underpaid Health officers.
That the publics estimation of the value
and function of health officers is woefully
1 cking is the statement of DR.. Beatty.
and he says: 1T is a disgrace to the state
/ that in numerous instances they are per-
mitted to serve with little OF no reTnunera-
| ton. and it is a rare exception that they
| receive cOnipensa ton in any degree COM
mensurate with their services The con-
/ sequence is. he says. that in many cases
competent persons refuse to serve. and in
other Instances the work is inefficiently
performed
People should be made to realize. '
/ reads the report. that ii is false economy
| from every standpoint to employ incom-
/ petent. ill-paid health Officers-not to men,
ton the cost of lives There are note
worthy examples in the state of men who,
| from a high sense Of duty, devote them
selves to the thankless. task involved n
/ the performance of their important duties,
/ but this is the exception and should not
/ be required OF relied upon"
Regarding tuberculosis.
In reporting on dread diseases. the sub
/ ject of tuberculosis is first taken up In the
report 1t is stated that. while Utah has
/ been forum Ite in escaping from the de-
/ gree of prevalence Of this disease existing
/ in other more populous states, there is
! constant danger here of its increased
| spread. Evidence of this is shown in COM
/ pairing the reports of 1907 and 1905 The
/ disease is contagious. and the secretary
| says restrictive measures should be rig
/ idly enforced. Every person affected is a
/ menace unless he observes definite precau-
I tons as to care Of Sputum, etc, and such
/ instructions. the report states, are con-
/ tanned in a circular issued by the state
/ board.
Already. says DIT. Beatty, the disposition
of cases of persons afflicted with the dis
| ease, many of them penniless and unable
/ to work, who come here i'm search OF
/ health. is becoming a serious problem and
/ Utah and other mountain states should
give the question attention with a view