Evening journal., 1914-10-31
FAVORS medical
TEST OF Students
DR.. RyOn Thinks All Spec
ialists Should Be Engaged
to Make the Examination
FREE FROM POLITICS
AND SOCIAL PULL

Dr. L. William Ryon, eye, ear. nose
and throat specialist, today discussed
the plan under consideration by The
Board Of Education tor medical eXami
nations OF school children TO determine
whether they have any defects in the
eve ear. nose or throat. Dr. Ryon
favors such examinations as necessary
and urges that all specialists in that
particular branch Of medicine in this
city be engaged 10 do the work, and
that the selection Of the physicians be
kept free from politics or social pull.
DR.. Ryon said;
"In the October 81 issue Of THE
JOURNAL WAS a report Of a talk Of the
school board with one OF the eye, ear
nose and throat specialists Of this city
Now ] think that il il about time that
this important matter was thoroughly
discussed and especially 80 in that q
committee is going 70 make definite
report OF the next meeting OF the
school board.
There is no doubt that many of the
children who are backward in their
studies or who may have eye trouble.
would be benefited by a proper medical
inspection, but / fail TO see where a
proper medical inspection can be made
by q teacher, principal or general ply
sician.
Now il is true that many States are
having medical examination of school
children and il is true also that while
some cases show decided improve
ment after following the medical re-
commendations, yet there are thous-
ands of other children that have had
their healthy tonsils cut out by en-
terprising physicians of ali sorts;
some getting a piece Of the tonsil out
and others more lucky OF better
trained, getting out the entire tonsils;
some OF the physicians getting a good
fee and others getting their hand in
and a little free advertising. Only
two weeks ago there was an article
In the Journal of the American Med
ical Association protesting against the
promiscuOus removal of the tOnsils. II
is a question of expert Judgment
whether the tonsils should be re-
moved or q diagnosis of adenoids be
made and one that the ordinary prac-
ticing physician is not able 10 decide,
and yet the article appearing in the
Journal referred to above speaks OF
teachers or principals making recon-
mendations to parents about these
matters.
Now, as to the eyes. We oculists
know that the headaches, etc, from eve
strain come from the small errors OF
optical refraction, for, in those cases
only, is the eye able to overcome the
error and all good. but at cost of head
aches, etc, on the part Of the person
The cases Of high optical errors win no
have headaches, etc, for the eve cam
make up for the error and does not at
tempt to, but these cases have poo
vision.
"The chart tests that the teachers o
physician in general practice are capabl
of doing will uncover these high optica
errors but the large number of case
coming under the head first mentioned
above win not be discovered BY sucf
tests and much mischief will be done In
that the parents will rest in a sense oi
false security, thinking that the eyes
are all right, as the child has passed the
school examination for the eyes.
"If the examination is desirable, and
think it is, then IL should be done
right and by specialists in the particu.
lar branches and free from politics oI
social pull. The examinations are toe
often made in a hurry and by incompe-
tent men, and Wilmington has had one
such examination. By incompetent men
mean men who may be competent in
general practice or same other speciality
but not men that have been properly
trained for eye, ear, nose and throat
work.
In the past, in several places. there
has been too much tendency for only
certain men OF specialists in To-
cality to try to get this special work
to the exclusion OF other competent
men, with the idea that coming in
contact with the students and being
brought before the attention Of the
public they would get more than
their share OF the work 10 the
detriment OF the other specialists who
may be Just as good and at times
better for the work to be done.
"If this work is TO be done, then
give all the competent men a chance;
there are not many in a city the size
OF Wilmington, and it would take
them all to do the work right and
with any reasonable expedience
Don't let this work serve for the ad.
vancement of any one man OF set OF
men, but treat all competent men
alike.
with good men there will be sew
eral things to be worked out If the
examination is to be done at this
school, and one of the most important
is the proper sterilization Of examin-
ing instruments. which is a time
consuming operation, but absolutely
necessary. and right here is where
mention should be made OF the as
sistance of trained nurses.
Every specialist should have a
trained nurse with him In this work
and I have no doubt many could be
found who would be willing TO volun-
teer their services for this work.
Baltimore has done good work
along these lines, and there they
have the work under the proper de-
partment, that is The Board OF
Health.
"In conclusion l wish 10 say that
the Board Of Education should not
have made or should not make any
conclusions from the opinion of one
specialist, no matter how competent
they may consider him, but should
and could get the opinions of several