Norwich bulletin., 1917-10-11
Medical Inspectors Annual Report
Daily Visits Made Different Sehools During Past Year Over Four Hundred Pupils Found to Have Defective
 Eyessht-Dr. Louis T. Cassidy Says Norwich Ha. Very
 Good System at Present Time

| which we strive. Tho children are seen in file, each being inspected sep arately. Seven to ten minutes Is re-
 auired for the average class. There l fore the interruption necessary is
 short and is generally planned to take place between periods of recitation ! and study. It was by this manner of 1 class inspection that two cases of were discovered. The children were at once excluded and measures taken to protect the other children.
 Inspection for Contagious Diseases. Owing to several cases of scarlet fever and an epidemic of measles, class fns spection for contagious dis eases has been required. The nurse has inspected each child separately, throats in particular, in 2S8 classes. Inspection for this work was made for 86 days of the school year. In some instances it was made twice daily. At this time any child showing syzmp-
 toms of disease, however slight, was excluded until the nature of the dis
 these inspections we have kept the at
 tendance about average, except during
 the epidemic of fneasleS. In many in
 stances parents have expressed their
 appreciation because this manner of
 inspection for contagious diseases has
 been adopted. No school building or
 classroom has been closed longer than
 necessary to fnmigate. and so forth.
 Notwfthstanding the fact that much
 of the nurse's time has been spent for
 contagious work alone, q great deal
 has been accomplished along other
 lines due. to great extent to the help
 and support of principals and teachers and their interest in the1r pupils. They
 have always shown their willingness
 to carry out the suggestions of the nurse and have entered into their part of the work with . spirit that Is very encouraging to the medical inspectors
 yf not made any great headway when the nurses time has been taken for contagious work and the usual class room inspections sometimes omitted
 Splendid ResuIts Obtained.
 It hes been gratifying to sec how sons in cleanliness, and much has been accomplished through short talks to classes of girls (with boys sometimes included). They have been encour- of the family as we'll as for thenn- selves. They have been taught in de- tall how to care for pedfcu1osis and other unhealthy conditions. and sprsn- cases of pedfculosis are rarely found and all old cases are under treatment. | The nurse has treated cases of pedic- | ulosiS In several instances where 1t l has been impossible for the children l tc receive treatment at home.
 It has been possible through the | home calls to persuade parents in a | r 'umber Of cases to attend to certain | defects that were proving . great handi- l cap to their children in their school | work. This is especially noticeable in the numbr of children who have ob- aimed glasses for defective vision Also, the home calls have enabled the nurse to become better acquainted with the parents Of the children, and t seems that the present attitude to-, ward medical inspection is that we nave the cooperation and support of III whom I have had occasion to in- erview.
 In conclusion. I would gay that it has been pleasure to act as school nurse n the public schools of Norwich; and rust that the results so far are only 1 ! beginning Of vast amount of good lmong the children of our community. lnd that another year will see even 'reater progress along lines pertaining O the welfare of our children.
 Nurse's Statistical Repo~<.> II
 Visits to schools 407, class fnspec- ions for uncleanliness, pedfctiIosis and rher conditions 1,005, instruction to lasses of girls for unc1eanliness, ediculosis and other conditions 97. lass inspection for contagious dis ases 266. number of days spent for ontagtous work s6, home calls ana ad- Ice 3o2. cases of ped1culosis treated y nurse .l, children excluded for va ious conditions and symptoms 90 , hildren sent to hospital dispensary for :, and treatment $, reported 3 charities f, reported to Visiting z urse association 4, reported to se- : 'ctmen l. tonsils and ndenoid opera ; lasses obtained since eye test no. ases of teeth. uncleanIiness and : ed1culosis found improved upon re- 400.