The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-09
TEN CENTS EACH FOR
MEDICAL EXAM. OF PUPILS

TEN CENTS EACH FOR
MEDICAL EXAM. OF PUPILS
A fee of ten cents each for the
medical examination of children at
tending the public schools of Florida
has been allowed by the Florida
board of health. This fee is small,
Tut the board explains in a letter
which it has sent to the various
boards of county commissioners, that
the legislature in enacting the medi-
cal examination law failed to make
any provision for the pay of the ply
sicians doing the work and that. as
consequence, the money must come
out of the funds of the bord. Al
ten cents each it is estimated tha,
the cost per year will reach between
s. 5000 and $4,000.
The state board will strive TO
carry out the provisions of the law
in the hope that the next legislature
will see the benefits that will be de-
lived and provide suitable funds for
the proper enforcement of it's provis-
ions.
The following letter has been sent
to the commissioners of each coun-
ty:
Dear Sirs:-The state board Of
!, health of Florida in special called
, session today, August 80, 1915,
adopted rules and regulations for
the medical inspection of school chill
dreh, copy of which his Herewith
enclosed for your information and
guidance.
The board thoroughly digested the
subject, viewing ii at different an
giles, 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. ut was
finally decided that as it is to duty
of the board to make an effort to
execute the mandates of the legisla-
ture, and for this reason alone, the
board establishes fee for the medi-
cal inspection of each child and
places the same at ten cents per
capita per annum, an amount which
in the aggregate, computing the
school population on the basis of the
1910 federal census of the state, will
amount to something in the neigh
borhood of fifteen to twenty thous-
and dollars, which amount the board
considered was as large as could be
spared from other work and duties
which the same legislature and pre-
ceding legislatures 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
physician for thoroughly carrying
out the plans which the hoard ha:
outlined in. the rules and regulations
ut the effort is made to start the
work and il is hoped that the nexl
legislature, that of 1917. will be sc
impressed with the scope, import
ance and value of the educational
feature of this proposed examina.
ton that the representatives of the
people may be willing to provide in
n more substantial manner for con.
summating beneficent purpose. The
law as it stands written on the
statute books, unfortunately, viii
have tendency TO exclude childre,
who are physically defective, with
no promise &c restore them to COOS
health and consequent intellectual
development
| The names of the medical inspec
tors who your board has selected
should be given to this Office so thai
thestate health officer who is charc
ed by these rules to determine thei'
fitness. may consider their applica
tion and pass upon their qualifica
tions.
Please acknowledge receipt
BY order of the State Board o
Health.
Very truly yours,
! (Signedl JOSEPH Y. PORTER,
State Health Officer