The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-13
Making the School
 Doctor the Last Word
Contributor Sees Potential Evil in
 Proposed House Bill

February IS, 1915. To the Editor of the Farmer: Sir:-s There is a bill before the Connecti- cut legislature, known as House Bill No. 86, entitled, "An act concerning the Appointment and Duties of school Physicians.
 This proposed legislation provides for a large and very definite exten- sion of the system of inspection and examination of school children. Be sides requiring every pupil in city or town of 10000 or more inhabitants upon entering either a grammar or high school to be examined by. the school physician, and thereafter. at least annually, it also provides that "bac41ward" pupils and those showing defects, etc. shall receive special attention,;' at the discretion of the physician. Advice or orders relative to treatment are to be communicated to the parents or guardians and fur ther that nurses acting under the direction of the school physician" sssha1I visit the homes of pupt1s-and assist in executing the orders Of the school physician
 At the will of the doctor 'investfga- ton of the blood, sputum. bacteria of the throat, and so forth may be made.
 The fact that the boards of health
  school of medicine, namely the allo- pathic school, is sufficient reason to foresee opposition to the measure. Parents and guardians who prefer the
 homeopathic, eclectic, osteopathics or some one of the various newer sys- would object to the constant medical surveillance and examination Of their offspring, by physicians of the one school Of the medical profession rep resented in the scllo1 physician and provided by the State. It is urged by the critics of this bill that, conf1n- ing school inspectors to practitioners of one school of medicine or system of treating disease constitutes special privilege and class legislation, a viola
 ton of constitutional rights, besides being manifest1y unjust when it is considered that the adherents to the aI1opathic school constitute small
 minority of the present population of
 our country.
 The purpose of this bill. those fav- | ing it state, is to lessen disease and 1 in the language of the bill ssto insure better physical conditions of school children" On the other hand it is claimed, experience has proven that lschooI inspection does not lessen dis lease, but on the contrary tends to ir1- 4crease it. The experiences of some of ICur large cities are referred to to lprove that school inspection has not accomplished what it was claimed ii
 would.
 It is pointed out that, according to Chicago official tables, cI1ildren's dis leases in 1906 numbered 20, ,242 and
 in 1913 aggregated 3S, o39, and each intervening year showed steady i1l-
 crease. Another thing which this pro
 posed measure calls attention to- is T that physicians are not. yet infaIlibIe 5i as to diagnosis. Such an eminent al1. Ffa1ri zI stated that in only 50 per cent. o1 leases is the diagnosis correct. And it is common Knowledge that pFysi. clans of the same school are continu. ing to disagree with respect to the l diagnosis of cases.
 isE In view of this it is considered fy
 many that the state cannot consistent. ly pass laws giving to one school 0; medical practitioners the entire super vision of the children of Con1aecticut . which it is believed would be the re suit if House BiII No SC is passed The penalty for a violation of it
 provisions Is a fine varying from s! . ito $50.
 This measure is so. r1aanifest1y un Fl democratic, so un-Anerican 1t ap | pears clearly to large majority tt1a 7 it should never be enacted into law The fact that it is asked for by but , 5 few, there being no public demand foj | 1t, Is given as reason why its passag, should be opposed. and that the com ? 1a1ttee should be requested to repor ) jit unfayorably. Otherwise parent should see to it that senators and rep
 resentatiyes are correctly inforrnec l that they may vote upon it inteIli : gently should occasion require. The committee on Public HeaItI
 and Safety holds public hearing up 3 on the bill, February IS, at 1880 D. m Yours truly,
 . FAIR PLAY.