Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-02-04


overlooked in the homes and were
seldom, until recently, discovered in
the schools.
We have been dealing so far with
what may be called the ideal inspec-
ton as carried on in some of the
large cities, with an efficient corps
of inspectors making weekly, semi
weekly and in some cases, daily in
spections, assisted by regularly APP
pointed school nurses, and backed
by practically unlimited funds, con-
ditions that do not obtain in the COM
munities we represent. What does
medical inspection mean for us
Frankly, l answer, very much less
than | have outlined and much less
| than / would like to see, and yet with
much smaller expenditure of time
and money and less complicated
and thorough supervision much good
may be accomplished.
In Woodbury., for instance, where
medical inspection was established
nearly five years ago, the inspector
keeps a watchful eye upon conditions
of buildings and general sanitation.
Responds to request of any teacher
at any time to examine pupils whom
they may suspect to be suffering
from any disease either acute or
chronic, or who may be defective in
any way. Investigate all cases of
contagious disease occurring among
the school children and decide If pos
sible the source of infection.
He sees that all pupils are prop
erly vaccinated and vaccinates many
of the poor children without cost. In
cases of the minor contagious dis
eases where a physician has not been
in attendance he is required to ex-
anime and certify to the principal
that such children may be permitted
to return to school. Also when it
is necessary to close any building or
room for fumigation and when it
shall be reopened.
Numerous cases of defective sight
and hearing have been detected and
referred to the family physician for
correction, for this Board of Educa-
ton has neither the means to in
stitute treatment nor the power to
compel treatment if it were refused.
We can only advise and point out
the benefits to be derived and the
evils that will probably follow its
neglect.
AS / have already indicated, to be
entirely effective the scope and power
of the inspector should be much en-
larged.
Eventually the question of tuber-
culosis both general and local, not
only among the pupils but the teach
ers as we'll, will have to be taken up,
and separate rooms provided for the
tuberculous.
These things, will for a time, be
prohibitive on account of the expense
for thorough and careful examina-
ton of even 500 children will take
much time. 1t is an easy matter to
glance at child and it takes but a
few minutes to determine that a
child has not scarlet fever or diph-
iberia, but it is very different mat
ter and takes infinitely more time
and investigation to decide upon
tuberculosis in it's early stages and
various forms of chronic skin dis
eases, many of them contagious.
In the smaller communities in the
country, probably for the present,
we will have to content ourselves
with the control of epidemics and
care of isolated cases of defect, no
tably of the eye and ear as they
come to us, and in the present estate
/ of our finances, I presume nothing
more is possible, but let us, interested
as we are, and I want to say right
here that l was for number of
years a member of the Woodbury.
Board of Education, keep this mat
ter in our minds, determined that in
the near future some system of med
ical supervision shall be established
in all our schools and that it shall
be increased in efficiency just as rap
idly as we may be able to do it, until
our entire public school system shall
be just as thoroughly organized al
ong the lines of it's medical necessi-
ties as it is in those of direct teaching
methods.
DR.. PARKER'S PAPER.
Because physicians are the most
earnest advocates for medical inspec-
ton in schools, it might look to the
layman that he is doing it FROM a
mercenary motive; whereas the more
we do for this, the more we reiiese
ourselves of the results of improper
care, which lessons the number of
our patients and consequently cuts
down our earnings. We are interest
ed and Jealous that the human race
may become more the ideal. We aim
to weed out disease and to relieve
humanity from suffering, worry and
discomfort
Dr. Halsey well says in his excel
lent paper we should look to the ply
steal development as well as the
mental. Mental training should not
be made at the expense of the body.
At no time in a persons life is the
fact of proper care more important
than during the development of the
youth, little mistake here will dwarf
and twist out of shape many prom
Using life;it may make one of those
half sick invalids who see no com
fort in living and will allow no one
else that privilege either.
The average mortality age has
grown at least ten years in the last