Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-09-01
MhIHgAL iNspEaTIla
ih XAtlgAit sGHalnLs


iN WAusAn sctiApLs
During the school year l969,l0 an
epidemic of scarlet fever prevailed In
Wausau; and, while the disease was
mild in character, the probability of its
I assuming a more virulent form admon-
ished the health authorities and the
ures were necessary to eradicate the
disease. After careful consideration
of the matter TIE board of education
decided that, in the interest of public
health and safety, thorough medical
inspection of the schools would be
wise. They accordingly employed, I'M
der the supervision of the y health
officer, seven physicians. The location
of the schools is such that the entire
work Of inspection could be done at
these seven centers. Two of the
schools were situated within a block
of each other The parochial schools
were near the public sci DIS, and chill
dren of the former were sent to the
nearest inspection center.
| Each morning at 9 o'clock on school
days physician was present at each
of the seven inspection centers. All
children who had been absent more
than one-half day without prior knowl-
edge and consent Of the teacher were
sent to the principals office where
they were examined by the physician
and received a clean bill of health be-
fore they re-entered school, Children
who were known to have been exposed,
or were suspected Of having been ex-
posed, to contagious diseases were
sent to the examining physician, as
were those also who were believed to
have adenoid growths, enlarged ton
sils, defective vision or hearing, or any
other physical ailment where the ad-
vice of the physician would be valu-
able
Cards stating the nature of the
trouble were sent to parents and
teacher. Pupils having contagious
disease or who had been exposed to
contagion were sent home, and teacher
and health officer were notified.
Two visiting nurses, paid by private
citizens, assisted teachers and physi-
clans in following up cases, and where
the parents were unable to provide
proper medical or surgical aid, it was
free at dispensary maintained by
subscription Of citizens. Physicians
were paid one dollar per visit to the
schools, the entire cost for inspection
being seven dollars per day, which was
paid out of the general school fund.
The results were highly satisfactory;
1902 children were examined; % cases
of scarlet fever were discovered and
prevented from entering the schools; 5
cases of whooping cough, Is cases of
measles, 6 cases of chickenpox, 80 of
scabies, and 35 of impetigo contagiosa,
while 744 cases of enlarged tonsils, ITO
of adenoids, 43 defective vision, de-
fective hearing, and IS with tonsilitis
were reported to parents and advised
to consult the family physician. No
cases were treated in the schools by
the examining physicians.
At the free infrmary 208 children
made $40 visits, while the visiting
nurses made 408 visits at their homes;
q children were operated on; As were
given prescriptions; "a treatments and
9 dressings were given, and Sc children
given free dental treatment. One
totally deaf child was discovered and
reported
Not only did the board of education
expect to prevent recurrence of the
epidemic of the preceding year, but
they also hoped to effect an actual
saving in the education of the children
by the increased regularity of attend
ance and the more rapid and uniform
progress consequent upon it. That
they were fully justified in this hope
was proved by the results. The cost
per pupil for instruction in the grades
(based upon the actual number of
days of attendance, estimating 100
days perfect attendance for each
pupil was 81 cents less than that of
the preceding year effecting saving
of 81, 1882 though the salaries in the
grades were about two per cent higher
this year than last. The saving per
pupil in the high school was So. 40, and
for the 525 pupils 81, 1856. 90. The total
reduction of cost was SO, 268. 80. IT
from this We deduct 1,17000, the
cost of medical inspection, we have a
net saving of $2,O988 &c. There was an
additional saving, not easy to esti-
mate, in the reduction of time taken
to complete the course of study due to
greater regularity of attendance.
There were more than $4,000 days
more attendance this year than last