Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-17
TEACHERS, SCHOOL BOARD AND
DOCTORS AMONG THOSE WHO
HEARD DR.. BLoUNT.
CARE OF CHILDREN
The Medical inspection Of the Schools
Proves Instructive Theme For
The Chicago Physician-
Tells Useful Things.

Ottumwa public schools as well as thu
members of the school board and sew
eral physicians visited the high schoo
/ Friday night in the snow and sleet t.
attend the lecture of DR.. Anna Bloun
of Oak Park. Ill. To those who have
given thought to the medical fnspec
ton OF the schools. the trip was worth
while and no regret has been voiced
by those present for having braved the
weather. Taking her subject from hel
own experiences in the schools of Chi
cago DR.. B1ount spoke, on Medical In
spection in Public Schools" saying ir
part the following:
/ State Takes Hold.
"The latest parental function to be
assumed by the state or it's educationa
department is the watch-care over the
health of it's children. Naturally one
of the first objections raised to the
medical inspection of the schools is
that it invades the parents right to
have his child's ailment diagnosed by
homeopath. or osteopath, Christian
Science, chircopractic, mind healer or
regular physician.
Among the many wrathful notes
from parents received by the head
mistress in Devon, after the installa-
ton Of medical inspection there, was
one to this effect:
dear Madam object to my. child
being overorled by doctor. I clears
his blood vessels regular with. brim-
stone and treacle and he don't want
no more doctrine
"Thus it is that the school inspec-
ton furnished one more breach in the
entertainments erected around the
sacred rights Of parenthood We
might comfortably stop at this time to
discuss the changing basis of the state
from the family to the Individual, but
time would fail us. The landmarks
along the line of this change would be
the abolition of household slavery;
the emergence of women from being
property to owning property.
Care For the Child
"To me it is relatively clear that
the best interests of the home are con-
served by dealing with the child as
an individual. from a sanitary point
of view, as from an educational and
for the state to stand ever ready to
make up the deficiencies Of the
parents. II child is dirty beyond the
normal healthy standard he should be
bathed before he Is taught so we have
in Chicago the school bathroom and
the bait. attendant If the child is
hungry he should be fed before he is
taught: if he is sick he should be
cured. and if his sight or hearing is
defective, he should have the best ad-
vantages. and appliances for seeing
and hearing, before he Is taught. 1t Is
better for the state to spend money
for bat s and dinners. medicines and
spectacles, than for the housing and
caring of the human derelect who is
the mature product of the neglected
child. Prophylaxis is always better
than amelioration, and far cheaper in
the long run
Public to be Guarded.
81 am not denying that there are
cases and occasions when the public
interest and individual welfare Of the
child seems Numerically opposed, as
for instance when It is necessary to
hospitalize cases Of scarlet fever,
smallpox or diphtheria in small child
rem or infants, for the safety Of the
public. can only say that In the war
with disease, as in any war, Individual
interests must sometimes be sacri
feed.
Other Nations Have It.
eve have medical inspection today
in England, france, Belgium, Sweden,
Switzerland, Bulgaria, Japan. Argen-
tine Republic and most of Germany.
Massachusetts has compulsory medi-
cal inspection law, New Jersey and
California have a permissive one, Yer
mont has law for the annual testing
of vision and hearing as also has Con-
necticut for triennial tests. Besides
this large number Of cities and towns
have provided inspection without state
law.
Four Objects.
.'The objects of school inspection are
four, and some cities aim at one, some
at two, while others at all three Of
these objects which are the following:
"First-Protection of the school from
contagious diseases, by excluding
those who have them.
Standardization Of eye and ear
troubles, and informing parents Of
their existence, that they may have
them corrected or permit the city to
supply glasses, etc. for the deficient
child. This primarily to benefit the
individual child.
Exam ination of the child for
general nutrition, mentality, all sorts
If physical defects. such as adenoids,
tonsils. club-feet,etc. making
measurements and classifications Of
he children, both mentally and physi-
cally. {
"The purpose of these extensive in
7estigations is both statistical and
corrective.
"Fourth-tTo this should be added
sanitary inspection, which is some
lines done by the school inspector,
,ut should be the work Of an expert. :,
"Of these classes the first one is the
most general and the necessity for it
s obvious"
DR.. BIount delved much further into
he matter Of inspection Of the schools [
md related many of her own expert
,nces that fully proved the wisdom. of
such a course being enforced in the |
schools for the general welfare of the |