Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-29
A|L|NG CHILDREN
IN NEED OF RELIEF
DR.. Murphy Urges Free Den.
tai Treatment for 5000
School Pupils.

Unless Congress affords some re-
lief in the appropriation bill now be-
fore ii 5000 Washington school chill
dren will suffer impairment in health
through lack of free dental treat
ment during the coming year. it was
declared today by DIR. Joseph Murphy.
medical director of the public schools.
This number of ailing children will
not be reached by school dental
operators, due to inadequate clinic
facilities. he said. Parents of these
pupils have requested that dental at
tention be given their children. In
addition to this condition threaten
ing the welfare of the children. the
entire dental operating force of the
public schools is facing disintegra-
ton. due to low salaries and the fail
ure of the appropriation bill as now
constituted to provide for any in
crease to the dental and medical force
OF the schools. he pointed out.
Many With Decayed Teeth.
Ninety per cent of the school chill
dren in this city are afflicted with
decayed teeth, according to an inspec-
ton recently completed. An average
of 3a per cent of the teeth in every
child is in need of treatment Six
per cent of the children are suffering
from abcesses demanding immediate
attention and threa tening to injure
the health of the children" he stated
The public schools at present are
Will oHkN iOuT utHtdl
At least four more are urgently need
ed The board of education recon-
mended that this number be provided
Tor by Congress and the District
health officer concurred in the recon-
mendation. The necessity for having
the estimates of appropriations come
within a certain limit. apparently
caused the elimination of this pro-
vision from the Recommendation of
the Commissioners. The Commits
2ln ~ n
the salaries Of the medical and dental
force in the schools be increased" he
said. $500.
Clinics Increase Omitted.
TN the appropriation bill now I'M
der consideration absolutely no provi-
sion is made either for additional
clinics or adequate salaries. This
means that the four dental clinics al
ready in operation at the Grover
Cleveland. Curtis. Tyler and NJ Street
schools must be made to care for more
than $4,000 children, 80 per cent Of
whom are in need of treatment. In
addition. the matter of increased SAL
aries for dental operators has been
entirely overlooked. much to the con-
Germ of every one on the force. How
to avoid disintegration of the force
is problem to be met with by the
authorities.
The medical and dental officials of
the public schools have never re-
ceived any increase in basic salary
since their appointment. Dental op-
orators are receiving $500 year.
working on a half-time basis The
medical inspector receives a salary
of $500 a year for his services. Pro-
fessional men outside the schools are
being paid over so per cent more for
corresponding services. The appro-
priation bill provides for an increase
in salary for police surgeons. 1 I'M
derstand."
Care Of Teeth Es1eatiai.
DIR. Murphy declared that the care
of a child's teeth and health was Just
as important as providing for new
school buildings. He said that he did
not favor. lobbying at the Capitol
to attain the necessary appropriation.
1t is up to Congress and the public
in general to awaken to the impor-
lance of dental work in the schools,
he explained.