The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-09

progress of the child is the base upon
"nlcn the medical inspection of school
children primarily rests. AS already
stated, there is no need for present
ing evidence as to the necessity for
sucn inspection, and it is only my pur-
pose to bring out here the educational
DEMENT'S resulting to the child from
, such inspection.
A study of statistics shows that in
every school system there are num-
Der of children, who, Tor some reason
or other fall behind in their studies.
lhls retardation has been greater in
/ the past and through physical lnspec-
tlon, compulsory attendance and other
ef1orts, will be less in the future.
Inc causes of retardation as found
by educational authorities are many.
chief among them, however, are:
| ~ The neglect on the part of par
ents in sending their children to
school, and 20 Remedial defects in
the child's physical being, existing in
most cases without knowledge of the
enid or parent. and in small per-
centage OF cases owing to time lost be-
cause OF contagious disease.
Medical inspection has only to do
with these causes: namely, the exist
ence of physical defects and the pre-
vention of the spread of contagious
disease.
The principal physical defects
which hinder the child's progress in
school are visual defects, nasal OBJ
struction, impaired hearing, dental
cares, malnutrition and defects OF
speech. These, If uncorrected, impair
the child's mentality, cause a lack of
concentration and inability to grasp
expressed thought that is clear to the
normal child; and leave the afflicted
child physically deb-litated and more
susceptible to contagion. If uncor-
rected for sufficient length of time
such defects are often indirectly the
cause of death, and, more often
through bad environment and weak
ened moral character, lead to a Grim
1nal or at least worthless after life.
The removal of visual defects allays
nervous irritability and waste of en-
ergy; the removal of nasal obstruction
relieves respiration organs, permits
the requisite supply of oxygen to the
body, thereby awakening perceplive
faculties and strengthening the power
of concentration. The removal of the
causes of impaired hearing, such as
the presence of foreign bodies, harden
ed wax catarrhal conditions, increases
alertness and responsiveness.
Proper care of the teeth preventing
abscess formations, oftimes the
source of bacterial invasion, aids the
child in the proper mastication, diges-
ton and assimilation of food, and, in
a measure, prevents malnutrition
Physical inspection, by preventing
the spread of contagion, reduces the
number Of contagious diseases to a
minimum, increases school attend
ance and lessons retardation.
Another field of work for the medi-
cal department OF schools is in dealing
with that class of children found in
every public school, which are con-
genital detectives. Duh and defective
children have always been found
(among the itltelligent) in public
schools. The ratio of these children
to the total school population in any
community may vary, but statistics
collected in different countries lead to
the conclusion that probably one per
cent is SO dull Or defective that such
children can not be taught In the or
binary classes
Is Not an Intrusion.
AS to his second point, DIR. Stewart
said:
"One OF the objections to the regu
lar examination of school cnildrey
seems to have been that it was an
unwarranted intrusion in matters pure
ly personal to the parents. But that
cannot be an intrusion which has for
its only object the improvement of
the health of future citizens, and
which interferes with or usurps the
rights of no one.
General conclusions can be obtain
ed, Of course, only from a considera-
ton OF statistics from all schools in
the different cities having medical In
spection. Such statistics have been
compiled and are available for study.
There is a surprising uniformity In
these reports and the results Of our
examinations in st. Louis vary but lit.
tie from them. Everywhere we find
comparatively little attention given by
parents to tie physical condition OF
their children, and everywhere the
need of examination by regular au.
thorized board of inspectors. In our