Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-21
Council Bluffs
DEtECTS 5F SCHOOL PUPILS
City Physician Tubbs Advises Phys
icaI Examination.
POINTS OUT IMPERATIVE NEED
Addresses Letter 60 school Board
HecommeudinE Action for
Benefit % Boys and
Girls.

hemoNAN o. hnIN AAN
Girls.
Or. A. e. Kepford of Des Moines. state
lecturer on tuberculosis. In his address be-
fore the Southwestern Iowa Teachers as
sociation last Friday. urged the medical
inspection OF all children attending the pub
lie schools
There should be competent medical
supervision OF the children of our public
schoo g. Many children are physically de-
facfive and need supervision by persons
skilled in the examination and treatment
OF eyes. ears. nose. throat. teeth. and the
general functions of the body Many chill
dren become victims OF disease because of
| these physical defects. All this might be
avoided by proper medical inspection said
Dr. Kepford.
Dr. Kepford's plan for the physical sx-
animation OF the pupils OF the public
schools was entirely in accord with the
recommendation contained IN the annual re-
port OF DR. R. B. rubbs. city physician.
Letter TO the Board
Encouraged by the stress aid by Dr.
Kepford on the importance OF such physical
examination Of the pupils in the public
schools. Or. Tubbs has addressed the fol-
Y lowing communication 70 the Board OF
\ Education and the local Board OF Health
/ After having given some thought and
study 70 the subject Of medical inspection
OF school children. il Is now my desire TO
get the subject before the local Board OF
/ Health and BOard OF Education for digcus-
SION. win a nope tnat we may accomplish
] TOR the children la our community what
has been done In many other cities in the
/ way OF giving them a chance 10 be physi-
] callW ulnuFnffV
/ II Is an undtsputaDIe fact that many
| children in every community who are at
| tending the public schools are physically
! defective and their condition goes on un-
noticed BY the parents until permanent
I harm results or until because they do not
| progress tavorabiY in scnOOi they are al
/ lowed 10 stop their studies and take up
some form Of employment. In other words
! they start in lie and go through all the
/ way on a lower plane simply because they
[ were handicapped at the start by physical
| defects ulat might have been corrected
early in their scnooi days and before per-
mRnent harm had resulted.
/ II Is a fact that children with defects in
the eyes, ears. nose ana throat, with tub
/ erculOais or some other local or general
! disease are 10 be found attending the pub
lie schools and these children NOS only can
NOT progress as well as they should, but
( which they may disseminate among other
children with whom they are brought in
contact with many hours in the day.
II has become a deDatabie question
whether or not the moral atmosphere Os
the public school Is goou and when we con-
slider also that innocent children are ex-
posed 10 many acute and chronic diseases
II brings up many grave questions. which
we, as parents or pubnc-spirited men
ana women, sheilld seriously consider
Parents often Ignorant
In some cases parents and teachers are
Ignorant Of the conditions existing in the
children under their charge and then there
are cases in which the parents knowingly
and heedlessly permit their children TO g1
rfrUuy s1safar rfrra. h.aaau
nave not Thought seriously OF the future
There Is stilI another class vino feel they
cannot afford the medical OF surgical ser
vices which the child may require.
believe that at least an annual inspee-
ton should be made OF all children at,
tending the public schools and then sucf
other examinations OF individuals as may
Dc indicated BY facts which may be ob.
served BY parents or teachers.
Ny hope is thar in Council Bluffs. thi
Boaru OF Health and the Board OF Edu
school inspection and II they deem bes
that they viii call upon board OF physi
Clans 70 make the proper examinations o
the school children.
I am certain that the members OF tn,
Council Bluffs Medical society will compe
tenty do this work tor one year In Orde
% give IL a trial NY suggestion Is tha
such a medical board composed OF men anl
women who are reputable and capable phy
! sicians may meet with the boards OF healtl
and education and outline a method OF pro
cedure which Will result IN a system o
physical examination OF each thereby 90
taining a history OF the past and presen
condition when may be preserved as
matter OF record and reference.
: 7 Then in each case where defects or dis
ease are found. that the parents be nOune.
50 that IL they choose they may call OF
their family physician for advice.
II should not be the aim or purpose o
the examining physicians to primarily sug
gest or offer any treatment. as no cas-
should be influenced to consult other thai
their regular physician The exception u
this will be those cases whose parents can
not afford medical services ana in sucl
cases some provision should be made II
order that the child may receive prOpe
attention.
Means OF Protection.
There viii be found some cases whicl
! should be excluded from the schools an,
from class association with other childre
and keeping a record OF them IL Will b
possible TO ascertain when they agai
: rir 70 enter the schools. 1 have had som
conversation with others In regard 20 tn
subjects herein mentioned and as yet hav
receved nothing but favorable expression
r OF opinion.
trust we may get sucn fact before tn
public that the majority may take an in
tarest IN what is bound 10 ne a great pub
[ lic benefit and a help 70 the future y0un
men and women.
1 Political, prof ssional OF the mercenar
. interests of Individual must not enre
q INTO any consideration whatsoever.
President Tinley OF the Board OF Educa
e ton Is deeply Interested IN the matrer an
, has assured DR. Tubbs that hts courllui
= cation will be brought before the board a
b its next meeting II win also be brough
; before the meeting Of the local Board O
e Health at It's meeting next Monday nigh
CARD OF Thanks.
I wish 10 thank the friends ana nefrHllor