Evening journal., 1910-06-29
MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS


EROM Mr. R. ]. Maclean, formerly of this city
a and now secretary of Chamber of Com
nlerce of Spokane, Washington. we have receiv-
ed a statement by the Superintendent of the
Spokane Public Schools with regard to medical
inspection of the schools of the progressive Wash
Ington city. The report reviews the work done
by the medical inspectors. The department of
medical inspection of the Spokane school was
organized last year under the direction of one
chief Inspector and four assistants. The regular
examination of the school children began last
September, and the rules provide for the inspec
ton of the schools at least once a month unless
IN the opinion Of the superintendent and the in
spectors, it would be wiser to concentrate the
work of inspection certain schools or sec
tions OF the city temporarily, leaving some schools
unvisited when freedom from unsanitary cond-
tions and infections diseases warrants tenn
porary suspension of the regular visits of the
inspector.
The Chief Medical Inspector makes a month
" report of all the work of the inspection force
and sends a copy of this report to the Board Of
Health and also TO the Board of Education. The
superintendent OF schools also receives weekly
report from each principal, giving an account OF
the inspection of his school for that week, the
date of inspection, time spent in the building BY
the Inspector, number Of children examined, num-
Der sent home, number of cases OF contagious dis
eases known to exist in the school districts, and
etc.
In addition 10 the work included in these re-
ports, designed for the protection of the schools
and communities against contagion and Infection
there was thorough inspection of all the school
children for defective vision and other eye trou-
bes for enlarged tonsils adenod growths, deiecA
tive teeth and other forms of physical inhrmty.
In all these cases, where treatment seemed 10
be advisable, the parents were notified and urged
to secure proper medical or surgical treatment for
their children. In some cases the parents were
notified the second time and even the third time
and every form qf persuasion was employed 70
induce parents and guardians TO take measures
for the relief OF children suffering from these de-
feots, diseases and inhrmties
! 1t is the custom of principals to inform the
medical inspectors OF suspicious or unexplained
cases of sickness in their respective districts and
in many instances the Inspector has gone to the
homes where such cases existed and made per-
sonal inspection of the patients, particularly where
no physician had been called
As result of these measures the school at
tendance has been much improved Many chill
dren have found relief from both chronic and
acute ailments who would never have received
treatments without the examinations made by
the school inspectors
Without mentioning the great relief from sui
fering and death, due to inspection the superin-
tendent Of the Spokane schools believes that the
system has been good peouniary investment
Other cities could give the same testimony as
that of Spokane In truth, there is nothing plau-
sbe to be said against reasonable medical in
vestigation OF our schools The fact that it IS
something new makes it dstastefu to a few but
/ the experience of Spokane vouohed for by Mr..
! Maclean should dispel any doubts there may be
of the advisability of inspection Of Wilmington
schools