The sun., 1910-01-29
MUCH DISEASE IN SCHOOLS
WBTCH BOARD or EDUCATION
WILL LOOK INTO.

nnCtOrs VINO klNMWhmcu ADuut H1H Uuo
student Population Give Returns
showing - Per Cent. AMlcted
with Ills Of Almost Every Grade.
The Board OF Education at it's next
regular meeting is likely to take up for
consideration the physical condition Of
the children OF the public schools as re-
ported by City Superintendent Maxwell
II the school children OF this city are
really as seriously sniicted "a sappears
from the superintendent report 1t Is
time that something was done to remedy
the situation. in the opinion III several
members OF the board.
The superintendent report 10 based
upon examinations OF pupils made by
physicians assigned by the Board OF
Health TO duty in the public schools.
These physicians examined s2s, ,s4 chill
dren. about half OF the total number in
the public schools in the last year. and
found that less than one-foifth OF them
had no physical defects.
The fact that three-quarters OF the
public school children examined in this
city are afflicted In ono way or another
is considered very startling by the school
commissioners who have given attention
to the matter. IL is taken for granted
that the percentage OF defective children
is the same among the pupils not exam
ined II was not possible TO examine
all because OF the limited number OF ply
sicians engaged in the work.
OF the pupils examined IL was discov-
cred that 2l2 .0ss needed medical or surgi-
cal treatment. The report Of this large
army Of sick children came as a surprise
to most Of the members OF the school
hoard. No doubt was entertained as TO
the correctness OF the REPORT. for the in
formation given by the Board OF Health
physicians was supported by reports
submitted by school principals.
The physical defects found among
the children embrace pretty nearly
everything on the calendar OF human
ailments. or trachoma alone, a com
municable disease. there were 56.67G
cases and I .2so OF the children were ex-
cluded from school. There were $3.50
children discovered to be suffering from
diphtheris. scarlet fever. measles, chicken
po1 and mumps. These OF course were
sent home as soon as the physicians ex-
amined them.
The examinations disclosed IS, 500 chiL
dren suffering from defects Of vision
saS 7e .oosse from 5sssSss 0s nasal breathing
Defects Of hearing numbered 5.t7I. 1,
was found that lS3, 500 children had de-
fective teeth and needed the services Of
a dentist.
The physicians found las. .Oos pupils
hvinG-R- -asEtain. trouble which IS pun
down under the name Of pediculosis and
(which 10 freely translated as vermin.
The superintendent lays emphasis upor
the fact that the physicians found II Ia
children suffering from malnutrition
There were 2.4os anemio children. Thai
there are 80 many pupils suffering beoaus,
n lack OF nourishment induces the super
intendent to appeal to the Board OF Edu
cation to supply wholesome food to tn,
children needing II at cost price. He say
that the lack Of nourishment retards th'
pupils in the efforts they are making Z,
acquire an education.
The number OF sufferers from malnu
triton in Manhattan were more thar
twice those in Brooklyn.
A. Or. Maxwell says that physical defects
disease and malnutrition retard tn,
educational progress OF children and arr
to large extent the cause OF laggardl
in the public schools. The work Of physioa
inspection and consequent medical o
surgical treatment will not be carried ou
efficiently until the Board OF Education
employs a corps Of physicians and anothe
Of nurses to look after the pupils, he says
The physicians should have authority
to compel negligent or unthinking parentl
to put their children in proper physioa
condition.