The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-15
PUBLIC OPlNlON
Bridgeport. Conn.
 Dec. IA, 1914.

To the Editor:-
 The rapid increase in the cost of school inspection throughout the re- public is alarming many citizens who view with some concern the sys- ! tematic effort of organized medical interests to fasten an ever-tncreasing army of salaried officials on naunici- pal, state and national government. School inspection, according to these people, affords a case in point, and attention is called to the fact that the health authorities of New York are asking for $554,670 for school in .spection for the next, year. which is $123,7SO more than the appropria- ton for 1914.
 School inspection is said to be in it's infancy. Its introduction was se- cured in most instances on the plea that it would enable the health au- thoritfes to stamp out or reduce to %n1n1mum common contagious dis eases which were annually causing, the needless death of a great mum. Der of children. It was p1ausibly urged that the schools were the cen ters for the spread of contagion. and that medical examination would prob ably detect these diseases and reduce them to 8 minimum.
 Accepting these claims, great cities like New York and Chicago in troduced compulsory inspection; yet the vital statistics of these cities,
 
 duction of this innovation, seem to sustain the charge that inspection has signally failed to accomplish the, promised results. In New York, for example, official tables for diph- theria, scarlet fever, smallpox, whoopingA cough, croup and numps, from 1908 to 1912,S inclusive, show that in the first named year these eases aggregated 49,O74. Every suc- ceeding year shows an increase over e.1Q i I1a total number of cases was 81,116.
 In Chicago, according to the official tables for these diseases during the past six years, the cases in 1906 ag- gregated 20.242. Every succeeding year shows a steady and marked in- crease in these figures until 1913, when the cases aggregated 38,039.
 In these cities, notwithstanding the annual appropriation for inspection, contagious diseases were not redue- ed to a minimum, as promised, rather was there steady increase, greatr than could be reasonably expected from the increase of populations; and this is all thesmore surprising in view of the steady improved sanitary con-. ditions of city life
 The reason that school inspection fails to accomplish what has been claimed for it, aIso, the reason, as shown by the foregoing figures, that instead of reducing, it tends to in- 
 fear is a most prevalent source Of disease. That fear is the cause and basis. of disease is being more and more recognized, and furthermore, for long time, this has been known and acknowledged by physicians. I
 In the light of understanding of this. it surely is inconsistent to at tempt to handle the problem pre- sented by sickness and disease with a physical examfIati on of pupils, ac- cording to the prevailing methods of school inspection. It must appeal to only harm can result from requiring children, at age when the child mind is supposed tosbe most suScep- tible to inpr essionss to view pie lures and exhibits showing horrible physical conditions and listen to dis courses relative to the experiences and suffefings of those who contract various diseases.
 In. the study of musical harmony the pupil does not pursue the study of discord, but is taught how to pro- duce harmony. Likewise in mat1e- matics insfruction Is not given with respect to aEror, but how to eliminate error and rive at the correct and perfect soNaone of a problem
 If one wishes to maintain loving relationship with another, he does not endeavor to learn Of the different circumstances which might arise to cause him to hate that one, on the contrary he excludes thoughts of hatred and goes right on loving.
 In no other branch are we expect ed to investigate and delve deeply into that which is diametrically op- posed to- the subject of our study, therefore pertinent question may be as to why this course is taken with respect to sthe study of health?
 We are fast apprehending that fear of punishment never reformed any ones and that reformation only fol- lows sincere desire to do right or love of righteousness. It can be as truthfully stated that fear of disease never did never can and never will establish it's opposite, health.
 Yours truly,
 CnNISI cyytE7yrryIa ~