The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-25

"arduous" task of another nin'
months Of education, The Unite'
States Public Health Service comes
along with something else for John
ny's parents to worry about. Is John
ny's parents to work. about. Is John
ny in the pink of health? Is hi:
school room sanitary? Is Johnny's
desk and chair of the right construc
ton to fit his little back and are there
other children sitting at Johns right
or left that may not be healthy and
who may transmit disease to Johnny?
All of these and other things are ask
ed of American parents by Surgeon J.
w. Schereschewski, the Public Health
Services expert who has made an ex-
haustive study of the subject Of medi-
cal inspection of schools. The sur.
geon has a plan which he believes
would eliminate the danger Of school
room disease distribution" so COM
mon to the crowded class rooms Of to-
day. We would attach to almost ev-
cry school in the United States a
thorough medical inspection code, a
school physician and nurse. A school
clinic and private dispensary would
also be provided.
I'VE are all agreed that children are
the potential capital of the state and
it is upon the subsequent efficiency of
the citizens in embryo that the future
prosperity of anybody polite de-
pends," declared Surgeon Scheres-
chewsky. Adequate medical inspec-
ton in the schools would greatly de-
crease the number of public charges
and other dependents now in our
midst. would recommend: A care
full and scientific watch over all pub
lie school children, their health and
development, mental and physical:
preventing here, correcting there,
some vice of conformation, faulty hab-
it and defective physical state so that
the child arrives upon the Threshold
of citizenship with future unhandi-
capped by disease, ready at once to
become an efficient social unit; sani-
tary school inspection; physical
health of teachers and other school
employees; Fairgrounds in abundance,
study of hygiene and the fundamental
principles of the prevention of disease
in the school curriculum.
"A school physician, applying all
his time; examining all persons con-
nected with the school,; supervising
school equipment, ventilation and san
itation and instructing health and
hygiene classes.
"A school nurse attending to all '
minor Ills of the children; collecting
defective children from classrooms to :
be examined by the physician; exam
lining children in their homes; keep
ing various records and assisting the
physician generally.
"Sight and hearing are the two
senses it is the most important to
safeguard during childhood, yet it is
these two which we find most COM
monty defective along school children.
Many children, not learning properly
in school, are backward because of
some defect Of the eyes or ears, usual
~ Of a remediable nature. Some TWEEN
ty per cent of all school children here
suffer from defective vision while
from six to seven per cent have defec-
tive hearing. ..a..
"Malnutrition, adenoid growths, en-
larged tonsils, fatfoot, defective teeth,
worms, vermin, chronic commune.
able diseases are all the ills of child
hood that can be effectively remedied
II taken in time but are likely to re-
suit in permanent defects, many times
at the expense Of the child's future
X allowed to proceed without medical
attention Spinal curvatures are often
due to vicious pastures caused by i'm
proper desks, bad lighting, undevelop-
ed muscles other improper conditions
of the school room that could be rem.
edied by an experienced physician in
charge.
From five to fifteen per cent of all
school children suffer from active tub
intestinal parasites, mental
deficiency and nervous affections are
also among the more serious child
ems diseases which should be de.
;ect"d and treated early |,
"Twanty states have recognized the
necessity for medical inspection of ,
schools and have made some legal pro-
dsion for its conduct, but an ade-
luate, mandatory administration, has
lot yet been adopted in any of them"
q good many people Judge their
,rintir" by its price and not by its
luality; what would happen II we
judged eggs that same way? Phone
70. 4 and let US quote you on printing