Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-02-23
Medical Inspections OF Schools.
Read at the Montgomery County Pomona
Grange January IS, 1917. 81

READ at the Montgomery County Pomona
Grange January rs, 1917. 81
Medical inspection of schools had its
inception some eiehty-three years ago and
during the past quarter of a century has
assumed the proportions of a worldwide
movement. People of this country and
many others realize more and more that
compulsory education should involve COM
pulsory health measures. Boston was the
first city in the United States to institute
the system. They divided the city into
two districts. hoping to control the ravages
made by infectious diseases. Although
during the first years the movement was
slow, it proved successful, and economical
whenever started. and was rapidly adopted.
There was a sudden recognition of the
fact that compulsory education meant
compulsory diseases. 1t is impossible for
us to be indifferent to the welfare Of our
school children. 1t has become recognized
that the school is the most certain center
of infection in community. Compulsory
education compels us to gather together
rich and poor. bright and dull the healthy
and the sick.
The object of medical inspection is two
fold, prevention and cure We should en-
dorse legislation providing for medical
inspection and physical supervision of
school children, because extended and
varied experience has demonstrated that
efficient work along this line safeguards
the children from disease. renders them
happier. healthier and more vigorous and
aims to insure each child such physical
and mental vitality as will best enable
him to take full advantage Of the free
education offered by the State. This move
ment is national in scope; England. France.
Germany. Norway, Sweden. Austria and
many others having adopted it years ago.
In the United States regularly organized
systems are in force in one-half Of the
cities, and beginning has been made in
three-fourths. Clear distinction must be
made between medical inspection for the
detection of communicable diseases and
physical examination, which aims to dis
cover defects. diseases and physical alb
normalities. The former relates princi-
pally to the immediate protection of the
| community and the latter looks to the
Occurring and maintaining the health and
aQd vitality Of the individual.
Statistics are usually uninteresting. and
| am sorry to resort to them, but II they
prove my point | will do so. will quote
the following from the annual report of
the State Board Of Education. November.
1914: There are 100000 children en-
rolled in schools of the United States and
fourteen million are handicapped in one
way or another and many in numerous
ways.
Ten per cent or two millions are suffer-
ing with serious form Of malnutrition;
Fifty per cent or ten million have enough
defective teeth to interfere seriously with
health;
Ten per cent or two million suffer from
obstructed breathing due to adenoids or
diseased tonsils ten million have tuber-
cular tendencies and about two million
succumb to the disease four million have
defective vision one million defective
hearing. and about the same number have
spinal curvatures or other deformites
100000 have heart trouble and many
suffer with nervousness in one form or an
| other.
1t is estimated that the retardation in
school progress resulting from physical or
mental ailments. which in different indi-
viduals range all the way from a few
months to several years, averages at least
one year per pupil for all of the children
enrolled in the United States. Applying
this to Maryland. would mean that what
is accomplished in eight years could as
well be accomplished in seven. II it were
not for the clogging Of our school ma
chinery in its efforts to push and drag
along those who are handicapped by ply
steal and mental defects.
The annual cost Of education in Mary
land is now approximately S5.000,000;
their retardation will amount in dollars
and cents to 100000.
1t is exceedingly conservative to say
that by early discovery and suitable treat
ment the physical defects can be decreased
So 2-3 per cent.
The census of 1910 states that there
were in the United States 29,499,136
children under IS years Of age. distributed
as follows:
In cities of 100000 and over. 1873 per
cent.
In cities of $4,000 to 100000. rs per
cent
In towns of $500 to $4,000. 1875 per
ceot.
In hamlets and towns Of $500 and less.
80.7 per cent
So far as medical inspection is concerned.
nearly 100000 are being neglected.
Realizing this deplOrable fact. many Of the
more progressive towns are adopting the
plan. AS a conservative estimate only
one-thrd of the pupils are free from de-
fects. | will read you tabulation taken
from the report of inspection in New York
city in 1912:
Children examined ....23O.243
Needing treatment. ....186. 1888. 1928 per cent
1. Defective teeth. ....l35. .S43, So per cent
2. Enlarged tonsils .... 1859. is per cent
3. Difficult nasal
breathing. ...... 1888. 10 per cent
4. Defective vision...... 24.514. 10 per cent
S. Malnutrition. ......... 5,845. 2 per cent
6. Cardiac Diseases. 1861. 6 per cent
7. Defective breathing 1891. s. per cent
s. Bone defects.".....~ i.i90. A per cent
Lung diseases ........ 483. q per cent
Now your attention for few minutes
in regard to these defects. Surprising
numbers Of children have been found who