The Columbus dispatch., 1920-12-05
SCHOOL MEDICAL
UNIT FOR COUNTY
FIRST MEDICAL INSPECTION
IN SCHOOLS WILL BE
HERE.
GET FEDERAL AID
Work Will be Launched Immedi-
ately-City Council ApprO-
PIRATES $50O-County to
be Asked Like Amount.

What is probably the most forward
movement taken in Columbus ano
Lowndes county in some time was
definitely launched the past week.
1t is a movement for organized
medical inspection in the city and
county schools under the direction OF
trained government experts.
At special session Of the city
council held Wednesday night that
body made an appropriation of $500
20 carry on the work and the county
will be asked to contribute a like
mount
Against the prospective $1,000 to
De supplied by the county and city
he United States Government Pub
ic Health Service and the State
Health Board will put up $4,000 OF
'our dollars for every dollar put up
oy the county.
Lowndes county will have the dis
.inction Of being the first school medi-
,al inspection unit in the State of Mis-
iissippi, this city and community hav-
ng been selected as the citus for the
irst unit because of its advance work
n the matter of health in the schools
md the community generally For
more than a year the Parent Teacher
associations having been working un-
easingly for the betterment of the
lealth conditions among the school
hildren and for the betterment of
school conditions generally.
This work attracted the Attentions of
The Federal and State authorities and
when the time came for the establish
nent Of the first unit this city was
given the opportunity of securing it.
A large and representative gather
ng of men and women appeared be-
lore the council Wednesday night and
he matter was presented to that body
in an intelligent, effective and logi-
al manner and the council recogniz-
ing the great benefits to be derived
and the small amount Of money to be
expended as compared with the large
mount to be expended by the Fed
aral government and the State Board,
readily made the appropriation.
The matter was presented by the
following; DR.. W. r. Mckinley, DR..
]. w, Lipscomb, Mrs. G. A. Wilkin-
son, Mrs. Carey Cooke, Mrs. Annie T.
Sale, Prof. f. A. Stanley and Prof.
j. c. Meadows.
The unit will be established i'm
and headquarters will be IN
the court house.
The work will be in charge of Dr.
Gertrude Slaughter as county direc-
tor. DR., Slaughter is an unusually
able and competent physician. She is
a Southern woman, native of Ken
lucky, and is a graduate of the Uni
versity Of Illinois and has studied al
the University of Chicago. She has
had extensive training and experience
in public health work. She will be
assisted by a trained nurse, Miss
George Newbill as unit nurse. Miss
Newbill has had great deal of ex-
perience in public health work and re,
ceived special training in this brancl
of work. A clerk and microscopes
will complete the personnel of the
unit.
DR.. Minerva Knott, of the United
States Public Health Service anC
Assistant Director of Child Welfare
for the State of Mississippi, was her,
Wednesday and assisted in the work O
formally launching the movement
She will visit the county from tim,
to time and keep in close touch will
the work here.
The inspection will not be confne,
alone to school children, but it will b
extended to pre-schoo age children
and to expectant mothers.
The inspection will be free and al
children in the schools will be exam
ined at the schools and pre-school ag
children and expectant mothers wi
be required to come to the headquart
ers Of the unit at the court house.
The work will go even further tha
inspection and diagnosis; it will b
followed up by personal visits to tn
I parents or guardians of the childre
to induce them to see that defects I,
vealed by the examinations are renee
ied.' In the treatment of all cases tn
family will be made to dictate tn
parents or guardians in the matte
of treatment. The inspection work
merely diagnosis, and the matter {
treatment left entirely in the hant
of the parents or guardians of tn
children.
It was pointed out at the meetin
Thursday night, cost to the city an