Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-10-29

prominent opponents. Dr. Luther ~
Gulick Of New York, formerly with
tho Russell Sage foundation, says. "A
rather careful examination OF the re-
suits of medical inspection Of ali cities
reporting In the United States. makes
IL clear that the hopes Of those who
have been defending medical inspec-
ton have not yet been realized. 10
any great extent" Medical inspoc-
ton has apparently not been a deter
rent OF the spread of contagious dis
eases, as IS advocates claimed It
would be. Inspection OF school child
rem was begun IN Chicago Ia 1908. and
since that time several forms of re-
portable diseases have Increased
aiarmingly. according 20 the statistics
Of the Chicago hoard Of health. simi-
lar conditions are 10 be noted In New
York city aud other iargo cities Of
the country.
OF the many objections which have
been urged against the system 81
school inspection, two may here BIO
briefly noted II IL generally known
among the profession u not among
the lnity. that the class % men who
are employed az school physicians
are not fairly representative OF the
dignity and ability Of the medical pro-
gcssion. Most Of them are young
and inexperienced doctors. and this
constitutes in the minds Of many par
cnts very serious argument against
the physical examination of their chill
dren. Or. Gullck says, In this con-
noction: "a large fraction OF all the
medical examiners OF schools In the
United States are young men recent
IS out Of medical schools. who are
DOING the work as stepping stone
10 medical practice. Their interest
Is not In school hygiene, but In the
practice OF medicine"
Another objection Is that all OF the
medical inspection now IN force. rs
conducted by physicians who belong
10 one school OF medicine. This has
furnished ample ground for protest,
from members of other schools as
we'll ~ from the laity Naturally.
these physicians proceed with their
examinations rom che basis Of their
particular medical theory, and this, Ia
the opinion OF many amounts TO state
medicine There arc those who ask
why the state seemingly discrimin-
ates against all other medical meth.
DDS and prefers the allopathic school
In an its appointments, and the in
quiry naturally arises as TO whether.
by so doing. the commonwealth does
not officially espouse allOpathy
] After an Is said and done. the whole
+ business OF school inspection comes
down TO tho practical question what
1 does Il accomplish p" when the in.
cxorab,c test Of results IL applied. tho
! experiment IN found 40 bo "a failure
| Il has not accomplished what was
claimed for II. II has not decreased
the pre-, diicncc 81 com agious diseases
as statistics show. u has not de-
creased the number of detectives or
diseased children. for the simple rca-
son that nothing has been done AMI
nothing can DC done by the govern.
mcnt 90 treat tho conditions which
may be laid bare 10y the examination
of the children.
So far as can he discovered, what
over has resulted from medical IN
spcction has been Yegrctablc. The
insisiont discussion ~ disease before
the children. the alarming and often
times mistaken reports 60 parents
lIhIA NfNffff'fN anu NfiANNN N'fthN wv
follow-up visits of school nurses arc
Ian calculated unduly 10 emphasiz
the fear 81 disease ana 10 create an
unreasonable panic m tho minds Of
parents and children. which actually
makes for disease. aud ~, In many
respects more dangerous and more
to be- avoided than some Of tho trif
ling alleged defects" which ar
made tho basis for sensational r.
ports That cruel ana needless sui
fcrlng has bocn caused hy the oper
4 alton of medical inspection In th'
4 schools. can not hc doubted, There
/ have been instances Of gross ans
criminal mistakes OF diagnosis which
have made whole families 'unhapp'
and have caused physical discor'
3 which never should have been.
B n IN very much to be hoped tina
r tho American people will soon COM
tn take a sane Wow Of this subject %
Z medical supervision IN the puhtt
3 schools, and put stop 10 tho "plagu
n of hygienics" that is devastating IN
treasures of the states where II Ia
- hccn fully accepted