Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31
Health Of
School Pupils

oA 1PAAS. service has received a
| comprehensive report on the value Of
| medical inspection OF pupils which will
oner Interesting reading for parents and
| teachers throughout the country. The
! study Of this subject, which has been
given much attention recently by edu-
cationRl and health authorities, was
taken up and reported upon by DR.. J.
w. Schereschewsky, one Of the best
known surgeons Of the government
| public health bureau.
1.-The ability of pupils efficiently to en-
| brace the opportunity for education is
| more dependent upon good health than
upon any other condition. says DIR.
| Schereschewsky. 1T has been album
| dainty shown that physical defects and
| diseases of many kinds play a most i'm
| portant part in retarding or even arrest
| ing mental and moral development. when
allowed to extend their influence through
childhood's years. Many Of the defects
or diseases discovered among school chill
dren. while pernicious in influence on
growth and development, are in the ma
jority of cases either readily preventable
medical inspection, however, the presence
by either teacher or parent and irretriev-
able damage may be done.
Few people fully realize the extent of
defects among school children. In the ex-
animation of more than 5000 New York
children a few years ago 56.2JO, or ap-
proximately Il per cent. presented some
form of defect or disease requiring treat
ment, and out Of TO examined in Min
~ an lie hor
were defective to the extent Of requiring
medical treatment Examinations In many
cities have shown that about 20 per cent
of all school children suffer from defec-
tive vision and that some or per cent
have defective hearing. Sight and hearing
form the chief apparatus through which
knowledge is acquired. and upon their
condition in later years depend large
part of individual efficiency. Many chill
dren, not learning properly In school. are
backward only because of some defect Of
the eyes or ears. usually of a remediable
nature.
FAN astonishingly large number Of chill
dren have bad teeth. Although most of
US regard the teeth merely as aids to mas
tication and as ornaments to the mouth,
in reality the care and proper development
of the teeth and dental arches have
most important relation to the general
health and physical development. There
can De no OOuDI IndI d SIldli dLi1OOiil Va
attention to the teeth in childhood is or
inestimable benefit and far outweighs the
most expensive and skilled treatment in
later years, when 1t is often too late
Physicians now recognize the teeth as
such important factors in a sound mental
and physical development that they are
among the most important points covered
by medical school inspection.
"Adenoid growths. the enlargement OF
the tissue just back of the openings OF
the nose into the throat. are also found
in many school children. These often
attain a size so as to interfere with nose
breathing, and cause the affected child
to become a chronic mouth breather,
condition which If allowed to continue
entails many unfortunate consequences
Adenoid growths are also apt to block
partially the opening of the ears into
the throat so that dullnesS OF nearing
is the result.
Besides defects in the two most i'm
portant senses, hearing and seeing. per-
haps the most serious defect found among
school children is 'malnutrition.' BY this
term is meant the faulty growth of the
various tissues and organs of the child's
body or their failure to attain their
normal growth Malnutrition does not
necessarily imply that the children have
been underfed. This defect Is often the
result of some communicable disease,
and may also depend upon the unhealth-
full environment OF the child. improper
feeding from birth. lack of sufficient play
and fresh air, under and over feeding,
bad teeth and other causes.
I'm the medical inspection OF school
children enlarged tonsils have often been
found to accompany adenoid growths
Children suffering from enlarged tonsils
are apt to lose much time from school
by reason Of sore thrOats and are liable
to rheumatic fever, diphtheria infection
and tuberculosis. Among other defects
and diseases, not communicable, found
among school children are curvature of
the spine, nervous affection and fatfoot.
which Is often a cause of much suffering
and loss Of bodily efficiency.
Amy system of medical inspection Of
schools should include the supervision OF
vaccination. which Is the most efficient
safeguard ever contributed to preventive
medicine against what was one of the
worst and most feared diseases. Measles,
whooping cough, scarlet fever and diph-
iberia are among the more important of
the communicable diseases which must
be watched for among school children.
because the deaths from the so-called
children's diseases are more common
than Is popularity supposed. and in the
result of recovery. some of these dis
eases frequently result In permanent dis
abilities, often in a partial or entire loss
Of sight or hearing. Every precaution
mission Of communicable diseases from
one child to another. and it follows that
teachers should be familiar with the
symptoms Of the onset Of these diseases.
Some 5 to Is per cent of all school
children suffer from active tuberculosis.
Such children. If not detected by medical
inspection. not only may serve as
source of infection to their schoolmates,
but their continued presence In ordinary
schoolrooms may rob them OF the chance
Of recovery which they would have If
given proper open-air treatment. In
many cities special rooms in schools are
constructed for the use of tubercular
children
THE teacher is an important agent
in medical inspection of schools No
one is brought in such close association
with the children. and none. by precept
and example, can exert so lasting an
influence upon their: mental and physical
evolution. The teacher should have a
good working knowledge of the laws of
health, the prevention Of disease and the
fundamentals Of school hygiene. besides
being familiar with the more ordinary
symptoms Of contagious diseases
School physicians should be men Of
the very highest type. and to obtain and
hold men of the necessary qualifications
and experience the community should be
willing to give adequate compensation.
The money spent in paying men of the
right ca.iber will be returned manifold
in benefits to the state"
Recent rains in various parts of the
east and middle west have fastened the
growth of mushrooms
Toadstool and large quantities have
been thrown on the mar
reasoning. .kets in practically all of
The larger cities In many cases small