Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-14


Medical attention (receiving help:
Eyes q
EARS
Throat ......,....................,....
hupture
Misplaced arm.............................
Injection due to unsantary habits 20
Bathod in homes. s.
Cut hair
Visited unsanitary hone5.................. 81
Called or phoncd to each school
building twice each week............
Christmas
Families visited personally. %
Baptist church gave bGskets.......... 8
Children placed in homes Christ
mas day .............................. "
Total number home calls................... 6l2
PART II.-GENERAL PROBLEMS.
Department of Health.
School authorities are beginning to
appreciate the Importance of health SUI
pervison and direction. Every child
has the inherent right to good health.
The number Of children who do inferior
work because of impaired physical Wig
or has been variously estimated. Some
authorities state that as high as 40
per cent Of allp school children are in.
capacitated by some physical defect. A
considerable number are handicapped
| by scene. throat or nasal affection. A
large number have defective vision and
many do not have normal hearing. Ref
erence to the attendance officer s re-
ports reveals some very interesting
statistics in regard to the health cOndi-
tions of the pupils of Salem. Mrs.
Pickett made 43 calls on children who
were i'll. Twenty pupils received
medical attention through her efforts
Much of the service by the physicians
for these 81 pupils was gratis, The
attention given hluring the past year to
eases needing medical attention was
only incidental and only the most ur.
gent cases were visited
The school physician visited the var
iOus schools at least twice each month
and much ot'tener in cases of epidemic
The service thus rendered was very eff
fective SO far as the examination anC
care of the children in the school was
concerned. A number Of notices wer,
sent to parents whose children were af
Iflicted by adenoids, enlarged tonsils ant
u defective vision and hearing, but in to,
Imany cases no attention was given t
these notices. The present system il
only partially effective. What is need
ed more than anything else is follow
up system Not only should notice b,
sent to parents, but someone trained
for the work should call upon the par
ents and urge the importance Of med
zeal attention. This cannot be done b,
the school physician for tine reason tina
the board cannot afford to pay for tim,
which such work would require. Thi
can be accomplished by school nurs
who, under the direction of either tn
city health officer or the school pay
scian would visit the homes and ex
plain the necessity Of such remedial sur
J gerry or treatment as might be neces
sary. 1t is believed that much may b
accomplished in improving the eff
cheney Of pupils by such system an
that withcut interfering with religion
beliefs or doctrne3. The advantage
of such system may be summed up a
follows;
/. The weekly examination for tn
common contagious or infectious dis
eases such as measles, chicken.po'
scarlet fever, diphtheria, tonsiliti
whooping cough, many forms Of ski
diseases caused by carnivorous insect
o and the examination Of teeth and d,
. lection of mouth diseases.
.. A monthly physical examinatio
: to determine physical weaknesses an
0 giving directions for proper clothin
fool and sanitation. Cooperation wit
. the department Of physical education
o making il possible to direct the exc
- else and play to meet the needs Of al
. normal children.
3. The discovery of the needs (
b remedial surgery and treatment on
urging upon parents the Importance
consultation with physician.
4. Visiting homea and giving dire
ticus for the care Of children afflicti
with minor complaints,
5. Instruction Of teachers in the d
Is lection of contagious diseases.
6. The inspection Of the sanital
10 conditions of the school and giving d
=. rections for disinfecting aud yentila
,g ing school rooms, toilet and playroou
= and keeping them free from Odor al
infection Of all kinds.
no I. To supervise the establishment
20 free clinic for children by the ph
~ sicians aud dentists Of the city for {
~ worthy poor In need of professional 81
RS vice.
,s ~ II is believed that by the introdr
10 tim of such system the health of {
On school children Of Salem would be b,
w ter conserved The expense viii n
be much greater than the present s.
40 tenn. A school nurse trained for I
30 work as indicated above, can be
cured for from $1,000 to $1,000. 7
school physician salary is $500,
that the total expense Of the two
the school district would not exec
81 1880 to $1,000. II q school nurse alo
AZ be employed and her work be plae
- under the supervision Of the city pf
50 sician. the expense would not exec
,m $1,000 for the first year, the city payi
10. the city physician. IL,
06l II Is. therefore, recommended u
some provision be made for improyi
gs health conditions Three plans sugg
IL themselves.
/ /. A school physician and nurse
2 an expense Of from $500 10 tl7OO..
Q. A school nurse, under the dir
2i tion Of the city physician, at an