The daily morning oasis., 1917-12-01
EYES OF SCHOOL
CHILDREN
An Interesting Report From
Doctor A. L. Gustetter,
Town Physician.
Board of Trustees,
Nogales Public Schools,
Nogales, Arizona.

Board Oh trustees,
Nogales Public Schools,
Nogales, Arizona.
Trustees:
Pursuant to the request OF
your Board of Trustees to
examine the eyes of the pupils
of this district for Trachoma
or other contagious diseases, l
have the honor to submit the
accompanying report of my
examination together with such
recommendations | deem it pro-
per to extend.
All of the scholars present
in the various buildings were
examined making a total num-
ber of GIT as against 534 last
wear. There were LA children
absent and their names are ap-
pended herewith. The teacher
was instructed in each case to
send the scholar to my office
for a certificate before enter
inc upon their work again. Out
of this number, in the Grammar
School there were 254 pupils
examined with Is cases OF Ira
coma among them, making a
percentage in that school OF
4.8% The High School con-
tanned 343 pupils examined, out
of which number there were z
affected with Tracoma making
a percentage of pupils affected
in that building of 2%. The
percentage of pupils found at
fected last year was 5.O5%, and
the percentage of the total num-
ber examined this year was
s.249o which shows reduction
in the number of cases. This
wear there were 20 affected in
all as against II last year.
l may be excused perhaps, for
again calling your attention to
the fact that Tracoma is a pre-
ventible disease, if the rules OF
personal and general hygiene
are carefully observed. The
danger of contagion lies in the
pus discharge from these cases.
With this information teachers
should prohibit the use OF any
common materials in the
schools, such as distributing and
collecting pencils and pen-hold-
ers, remembering that the
hands of those affected are
often contaminated in rubbing
their eyes.
The methods necessary to
pursue in order to eradicate the
cases already present requires
the earnest cooperation be-
tween the parents, the principal
and teacher. A notice should
be sent the parents of the
children affected with Tracoma
explaining to them the nature
of the disease and the present
effect upon the child's eyesight
and the very disastrous effect
to the child's eyes if allowed to
continue without treatment.
All parents are naturally vitality
concerned in their child's fu-
ture welfare as much as they |
are in their present status and
condition in school, therefore,
if the child is required to re-
main away from school for a
period of say not less than two
weeks in order that a more |
vigorous treatment may be in
stituted, there would hardly bel
any complaint upon the part of |
the parent if these regulations
should be insisted upon by your
board.
They will, of course, readilyI
understand that this ruling is
made in the interest of their
child and they should bear in |
mind that their child, too, with
proper treatment will be cured,
and will then want every pro-
lection against re-infection that
might be possible for those in
authority to afford.
AS a general rule to be fol-
lowed l would suggest that
children having "a purulentl
secretion whether from the eyes
or the ears, should be excluded
until the discharge stops and
the disease is pronounced no
longer contagious. AnotherI
matter pertaining to personal
hygiene was very forcibly i'm
pressed upon me in my exam
ination. In many of the rooms
in the Grammar School there :;
are children attending school
whom l am almost willing to I
take oath, have not had a bath
in the past six months. Some I
had very dirty hands and faces I
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