Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-11
CURE SCHOOL PUPILS.
Board of Education Urged to
Employ Physicians.
DEFECTS TO BE CORRECTED
Dr.. Herbert D. Schenck of New York
Health Department Addresses
Homeopathic Society.

Urging a stringent and continuous
health inspection of public school children
by physicians under the direction of the
board of education. DIR. Herbert D.
Schenck, &. s., of the New York state
department of health, addressed the thir-
tenth annual meeting of the Washington
Homeopathic Medical Society at the
ShOreham hotel
"In no sphere said DR.. Schenck, "has
preventive medicine d better field than
in correcting the physical and hygienic
defects of school children. which are
largely undiscovered until school life be-
gins. The most economical, comprehen-
sive and complete inspection must In
clude examinations by the teachers, by
medical inspectors and by nurses in fol
low up work.
Defects to Be Mended.
Efficiency and cooperation will be
better assured by having physicians
employed by the boards of education
examine for physical and hygienic de-
fects, as we'll as contagious diseases.
As soon as the latter are excluded from
school they should fall under the juris-
diction of the board of health.
LAS physicians and citizens. 1t is in
cumbent upon every member of this
society to urge the necessity Of COM
prehensive and accurate medical in
spection for defects that impede progress
as we'll as the diseases which en-
danger others. This generation has
many members whose happiness and
capacity have been greatly decreased
ny these unknown and uncorrected de-
Iects.
The state protects it's minors in their
rights to property, prevents parents
from abusing them, nor will 1t allow
them to starve or squander the estates
OF their children: neither will the state
permit parents to neglect the education
Of their children, to which the common
wealth deems every child entitled.
Surely every community should see
to it that these helpless children are
given every facility for securing this
free education. that it may not wreck
them physically or mentally, and enable
them TO complete their work SO that they
will be a credit to the community, OF
greater value to the state, and the moral
force which every truly educated person
exerts as a citizen"
Statistics Are Quoted.
Quoting from statistics compiled by the
Russell Sage foundation. based on the
records Of 5000 public school children
in 1909. DIR. Schencx said that of those
who had been kept from school through
illness for more than a week In the
course OF eight years in grammar schools,
more than half had been i'll from measles,
scarlet fever or diphtheria.
DR.. Schenck quoted statistics to show
that defective teeth in a school child is
responsible for the spending Of one-half
Of q year more on the eight-year course
than otherwise would be necessary. he
said more than half the grammar school
pupils suffer from defective teeth.
DIR. Schenck advised employment OF
physicians by the boards of education. on
the grounds that such work by boards of
health resulted in a dual responsibility
that made effective work impossible.
DIR. J. Herbert Moore, professor of ma
terra medica and diseases Of children. OF
Boston University. gave an illustrated
lecture an Practical Presentation of Per-
centage Feeding for Infants" DR.. Har-
vey W. Wiley OF the Department of Agri-
culture gave q short talk on cows milk.