The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-10-06
Medical Inspection
In Public Schools
Value of the System Depends Upon the Extent
to Which Systematic Examinations by
PHYSICIANS Are Held

pills with remediable defects are referred
to the family physician, the dispensary,
or the hospital In any we'll organized
medical inspection service, however, ali
cases so referred are followed up to see
that rational lines of relief are adopted
by those responsible primarily for the
health of the child. And there is a grow
ing tendency to administer at the school
building treatment for minor ailments to
children whose parents desire them to
receive IL. This makes sure that proper
treatment is administered with as little
interference as possible with school at
tendance.
And. finally. it is the duty of the medi-
cal inspector to discover, II he can, the
cause of such abnormal conditions as he
finds and to remove them SO that other
pupils may not suffer. The typical case
of this class is that of a communicable
disease. The inspector finding two or
three cases of diphtheria in a school at
the same time naturally looks for others
or for some other source of infection.
and sees TO its removal The parent has
no such function, and the teacher whose
work is ordinarily limited to a single
class has not the same opportunity even
if she were competent to search out the
mild cases, possibly Carriers who have
caused the outbreak.
The too frequent occurrence of colds
resulting from defective ventilation. and
the frequency OF headaches. occasioned
by faulty ventilation, are instances OF
other matters properly to be looked after
by the medical inspector with view to
prevention.
The pupil profits by the skill and at
tention of the school physician in that
any defect from which he Is suffering Is
more apt to be detected while IT is yet
remedial and before 1t has worked any
.,.NVV -
defect during the period of growth tends
to insure that he will in adult life pos
sess a sound body and enjoy good health.
But beyond this the removal of the
limitation OF defects. and the removal
OF unwholesome influences from the
school through the agency of the school
physician. make the pupil a more apt
student and enable him to acquire with
in a given period an education that would
otherwise be impossible. This results
not merely from diminished absence. al
though the value of this factor must not
be moderated. but from the better men,
tai condition resulting from good health.
Every pupil profits. too, from the pro-
lection against communicable disease re-
sulting from constant medical supervi-
sion over his fellow-pupils.
But the value of medical inspection
of schools is not limited to the pro-
lection of health during the school Pc
riod. and resultant good health during
natural life resulting from II. The edu-
cational value of medical inspection is
an important factor in estimating its
general worth The pupil who has been
made to appreciate the fact that good
health is to be maintained only at the
price of constant -watchfuiness during
his school life win be more apt by rea-
son of that fact to take care OF hi.
health after school days are over, end
when he assumes the responsibilities OF
pa-enthood will look better after the
health Of his children than VIII the par.
ent not SO educated 49,