The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-09-07
Only Small Pay for Physi-
clans Making Exarnina-
tons School Children
NO MONEY PLACED
TO CREDIT OF FUND
Therefore Pay for Exan7ina-
tons Must Come From
Board of Health Money.

A fee of ten cents each for the med
ical examination of children attend
ing the public schools of Florida has
been allowed by the Florida board Of
health. This fee is small, but the
board explains in letter which it has
sent to the various boards of county
commissioners, that the legislature in
enacting the medical examination
law failed to make any provision for
the pay of the physicians doing the
work and that, as consequence, the
money must come out of the funds
of the board. At ten cents each ii is
estimated that the cost per year will
reach between $4,000 and 5000
The state board viii strive to carry
out the provisions of the law in the
hope that the next legislature will see
the benefits that will be derived and
provide suitable funds for the proper
enforcement of its provisions.
The following letter has been sent
to the commissioners of each county:
Dear Sirs:-The state board of
health of Florida in special called ses-
sion today, August 30, 1915, adopted
rules and regulations for the medical
inspection of school children, copy
of which is herewith enclosed for
your information and guidance.
The board thoroughly digested the
subject, viewing it at different an
gless and from each, the problem Of
expense doomed up to degree that
seemingly would tend to prevent the
carrying out of the spirit as well as
the letter of the statute. 1t was
finally decided that as it is to duty
of the board to make an effort to exc
cute the mandates of the legislature,
and for this reason alone, the board
establishes fee for the medical in
spection of each child and places the
same at ten cents per capita per an
mum, an amount which in the aggre-
gate, computing the school popuIa-
ton on the basis of the 1910 federal
census of the state, will amount to
something in the neighborhood of fif-
teen to twenty thousand dollars.
which amount the board considered
was as large as could be spared from
other work and duties which the same
Legislature and preceding legisla-
lures had imposed upon it to effect.
The board bids me say to You that
by no means does it feel that this is
an adequate compensation to a physi-
clan for thoroughly carrying out the
plans which the board has outlined in
the rules and regulations but the eff
fort is made to start the work and
it is hoped that the next legislature
that of 1917, will be SO impressed
with the scope, Importance and value
of the educational feature of this
proposed examination that the repre-
sentatives of the people may be will
ing to provide in a more substantial
manner for consummating a benefit
cent purpose. The law as it stands
written on the statute books, uafor-
tunately, viii have a tendency to ex-
clude children who are physically de-
fective, with no promise to restore
them to good health and CONSEQUENT
intellectual development.
i The names of the medical inspec-
tors who your board has selected
should be given to this Office so that
the state health officer who is charg-
ed by these rules to determine their
fitness, may consider their applica-
ton and pass upon their qualifca-
tions.
Please acknowledge receipt.
BY order of the state board of
health,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) JOSEPH Y. PORTER.
State uaaI+I 0a,oa-