The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-05
MEDICAL INSPECTION
 OF SCHOOL CHILDREN
Communication Upon the Subject from
 President of the Board of Henlth.

Editor of Farmer
 Sir-Referring to a recent editorial in one of our local papers, feel oblig- ed to take exception as a member of the Board of Health, to the apparent slurs cast upon the motives of our board. Apparently innocent pro- posal'' grates seriously upon the nerves of self-sacrfficing men, devoting their time and energies to the accomplish ment of a measure which practical ex- perience has proven to be necessary. The sum of money asked to begin this work by our board necessarily reveals the fact that no daily medical inspec- tiOn is expected. The method pro- posed is that usually adopted by cit ies of our size and such daily inspec- tiOn is not considered necessary. That the usefulness of the measure does not commend itself to the public may be so where the public have not investi- gated as to results obtained. A very little study on the part of the public of these results will show that com .noE sense commend this work. A knowledge of the methods pursued in making the inspection as proposed in this city, convinces one that this work will not interfere with the other rou- tine work of the schools.
 No lightning feats of diagnosis" will he required and that slow process of diagnosis referred to will in most in stances be left as now. to the family physician. I say in most instances, for the reason that some cases would be diagnosed by laboratory work, e. g. cases of suspected diphtheria. While there is no SCHEME pertaining to
 entering the thin edge of a very large wedge" yet this is but the beginning of a work. which wherever it has been instituted, has met with the endorse ment of the public, the superintendent of schools, teachers and parents in hundreds of cities and towns in our land. This innocent proposal does include the visiting nurse and that in to the homes.
 What better means of teaching our large foreign population American isms, ideas of cleanliness and the ap- plication of hygienic laws could be ob- tained at so little expense. The nurses valuable assistance in these matters is strongly recommended in many places, everywhere, in fact where they have been employed. The func- tion of education as I understand it, is that of protection for the State. The State compels attendance in schools for forty weeks each year, from the age of five to the age of four teen. It there lays out a course of study, found by experience to be best adapted to make for the good of it's citizenship; this being the function or object of education, how important then that the State should realize ''the sound minds in the sound body" To partially educate thousand weaken ed, deaf, half-blind pupils, all of whom by general supervision on the part of the State during these school years could have developed into strong, bright, healthy young men and women is an error.
 Is this work not one of the most important functions of education, both individually and collectively for the State? This measure works for the return to the schools of the children of an increasingly large number of people, and thereby they will receive the benefits of taxes contributed,'' be cause many of the objections now ap- parent will be by this means eliminat- ed. Wealthier places and poorer places than Bridgeport have experi- mented in this branch of education for years and so thoroughly has it proved itself upon all occasions where tried, | that it's adoption has become of na- tional scope in England, Belgium, Ger many, France, Switzerland, Bulgaria, | Japan, the Argentine Republic and in the United States, the State of Mass | achusetts Gall cities and towns). In fact in nearly every principal city of the United States. north, west, south and east, and in this State, New Ha- ven, Hartford and Waterbury have medical inspection of schools.
 Experimentation in this line began thirty five years ago in Brussels, six teen years ago Boston adopted this work and it has been in satisfactory operation in very many cities of the United States. for a period of ten years. Reports received from seven ty-five cities of our country, outside of Massachusetts, shows that medical inspection of schools is considered proper, necessary, and satisfactory and has convinced me after two years of careful study, that practical results can be obtained by our boards, if the asked for is granted. The bringing about of better sanitary conditions in the school rooms and buildings is the duty of the medical inspector. Facts and figures to cor roborate or substantiate any assertions or generalities in the foregoing are easily obtainable and any questions that suggest themselves I will willing Iy try to answer.
 GEO F,ITGFyNFy ORER M D.