The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-12

to do this but we are unable to get the
money" or Our city fathers do not
seem to think that it is worth while, OF
'-WiIl you please show us how we can
reau's statement replies that, almost
without exception. every city has qen-
lists. physicians and nurses VINO VIII De
willing. at no expense TO the pnDlle, 10
examine 100 200 or $50 children to show
how serious the defects are, and to DEM
onstrate the value both OF discovering
the defects and of having nurses ana
physicians see that family physicians and
parents remedy these defects. In fact,
in almost every city, the first move has
been made by a volunteer body. MISS
Lillian Wald of New York City, loaned
nurse from the nurses settlement TO
make the first inspections in New York
City, from which a staff of $50 physicians
and 142 nurses has grown. In Minneapo-
lis the associated charities made the first
test with volunteer physicians. Likewise
in Cleveland the chamber of commerce
made a demonstration. The accident or
volunteer interest is, IN fact, the rea-
son why some cities begin with dental
examination. and others with eyes or
adenoids or skin diseases. The needs are
so certain and the result of proper at
tention so obvious and conclusive that
teachers and superintendent need only
to ask one or more professional men to
make the first move.
Work for the Teachers.
Moreover. a great part of the work can
be done by teachers themselves in ind
ing out the more serious cases of eye
trouble, breathing troubles and under
nourishment The superintendent of city
| schools of Alameda. Cal, write: "Out
of an enrolment of about $500 pupils, we
find that more than 800 are afflicted with
physical defects observable even to the
| eye of the layman.'
The bureau. therefore, suggests to
every CITY Superintendent that teachers
be allowed to take the little time neces-
sary TO pick out and make a list Of the
children who, to the layman'S eye, are in
need of attention. In rural schools, as
well as city schools, nearly one in three
viii have trouble with the eyes; nearly
enc in five will be mouth breathers, be-
cause of too large tonsils or adenold
growths; every now ana then there is
| one with nervous trouble or st. Nitus
dance; and certainly more than one in
every school who is obviously predis-
posed to tuberculosis. In Massachusetts,
Minnesota, Iowa, New York, Texas and
| Ohio, country children are found to DE
1 even worse off than city children, be
cause they have tine defects and the COM
municable diseases without the eXamina-
/ ton and the dispensaries and clinics and
| relief agencies SO near to city children.
] New jerseys experience in making
medical examination and inspection COM
pulsory without either providing state
/ funds or ensuring local funds is not
much more satisfactory than that OF
| Louisiana, for example. or Maine, max
/ ing appointment of physician optional
with localities Too many localities dc
! nothing. In striking contrast is the In
diana state law providing that cities oi
| over 100000 shall set aside "One-half pH
| cent per hundred Of the taxables of the
| city, irrespective of what the tax levyine
| limit OF the city may be, for the inspec
| ton of school children in private, public
| parOchial and kindergarten schools" II
also provides for nurses in conjunction
with this work.
! The bureau of municipal research vii
be glad to send list of cities and state.
that are both getting information abou
defects and taking steps to remove thos,
defects. 1t suggests. however. that tn.
supreme need throughout the country i
that the state suDerintendsnts of educa
ton and state secretaries of health shall
establish clearing houses of informa tiOl
which will show volunteers and Official
in country and city not only what ougil
to be done and what is being DONE bu
how to begin to get done for their owl
localities what the physical welfare O
school children requires. What can b
done from such headquarters is illus
trated by the pamphlets issued by tn
| state board of education of Massachsi
sets, entitled Medical Inspection. Sug
gestiOns to Teachers and School Physi
clans; tuberculosis and Its Prevention.
Suggestions 90 Teachers; School Hvgien
b in MaSSac husettS"