Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-17

fc health nurses in connection with the schools and other health work at the June open meeting of the chamber We'd nesday evening at the GornmunitE mouse the meeting followed a supper Served at G. 30 under the direction of the following committee: Harry M. Clark, Alfred G. Bliven, Jerry Angel, William Carberry, Thomas Donovan, Jeremiah Downing, Frank Latimer, Jeremiah A. Desmond.' Chester A. Hussey and Arcnloald Mitchell, End.
 The public health nurses of the city, | wearing their gray costumes, were guests at supper, and during the supper hour the Academy orchestra furnished music to the pleasure of the so men present. President Charles F. Wells called the business part of the meeting to order aft CT the singing of America and then turn l ed the meeting over to Rev. J. H. Sel- den, vice president, as Mir. Wells had to, attend the meeting of the common coun- cil where he is alderman. I
 The subject of the public health work was introduced by a demonstration given by twenty-two little boys and girls from St. Mary's school who marched in to mu- sic by Margaret Delaney and went\up V1 the platform where they gave their daily health inspection drill under the two inspectors, Mary Fahey for the girls and William Hartie fr1r the boys. Fol- lowing this Miss Mary Moriarty, the nurse in charge at this school, spoke briefly of the great benefits that are be- ing brought about through this work
 Miss AIbertine Reports.
 Miss Charlotte M AIbertine made the following general report of the work in the schools: ..
 Before telling you about the workings of our organization as it is at present. may I go back a few years?
 'Comparatively little attention was given to the health of school children in Connecticut until the year 1915, when a state law was passed requiring every town of 10, 900 or over to appoint med ical inspector for it's schools
 Many of you perhaps remember this announcement was not received in Nor wich with favor.
 However, through the efforts of the town school committee a doctor and nurse were appointed to do this work in the public schools.
 Previous to this there had not been any health work of this kind. March 1, 1916, the work was started. Dr. Louis Cassidy school physician as- sisted by the nurse, began the physical examinations of the children at once. | Many defective conditions were found and reported to parents These defects are also recorded on physical record card that is made out for the child when he enters school-name, age and grade. Entries of health conditions are made from time to time and the card accom- panies the child from grade to grade and i from school to school Gas the case may | bel, so that the teacher has health his- | tory of each of her children. Besides assisting the medical inspector with examination of children, the nurse began work along lines of personal hy- giene, giving daily class inspections and health talks embodying the following : The necessity and value of baths, the | care of the hair, the care of the teeth and mouth, toothbrush demonstrations, the value of proper food, the harm caused by tea and coffee and cigarettes, the value 1 of fresh air and sunshine, the value of proper rest and play, talks on how to l avoid communicable diseases, common colds, talks on danger of coughing and sneezing, and the proper use of the hand kerchief.
 The first year of the work we found g
 great deal of uncleanliness, pediculosis
 (head lice) in particular ;s400 cases were l discovered the first year. At present the
 few cases we have are under treatment
 Many cases of impetigo and other skin
 troubles were found. In some cases un
 cleanliness that seemed unbelievable ex
 isted.
 The problem of cleaning up" was yer!
 great, but little by little the lessons taught began to show results.
 The end of the first year found condi
 tions much improved and quite a numbe of defects corrected.
 ! It is not necessary to say that eacl , year has shown an increase in good re i suits.
 Now, at the end of four years work
 our schools are comparatively clean.
 I would like to say something abou
 contagious diseases, diphtheria and scaI : let fever. Cooperating with the healt 5 officer the following plan of work is fol :. lowed:
 . At an outbreak of scarlet fever c :. diphtheria in a school, word is sent frol . the department of health to the schot | nurse and inspections of the class Yhic n the sick child attended are started z 3 once and given daily or twice daily an ,. continued for as long time as the healt
 officer requires it, which is usually tW c to three weeks.
 s In these inspections for contagious di d eases children are seen before enterin
 class room, in file, and inspected SCI a arately; threats are given special attel l. ton.
 l. At this time child showing symptom 5. ever so slight is excluded until the natul e of the trouble is determined. All cas, r excluded are followed up by the nurse. > AS result of this plan of inspectic n no school has been closed in the pa
 four years.
 Parents have expressed their appreci m tion on many oacsions for this protectio l. The attendance at these times is abo is normal
 T. On Feb. of this year Miss wilso ah employed by the local Red Cross chapte Is began her duties in the public schools.
 In our public school system we ha 'h 20 schools and about $500 children. IT Id work has been so divided that Miss W lh son has 10 schools and have the renal ' T ing 10.
 q. Following the plan adopted four yea re ago, routine daily class inspections a su given in some schools every day. = These daily class inspections are T. II: important feature of the work. The pu a' pose is to inculcate habits of person y y cleanliness in each pupil by arousing ,r interest in his own personal appearant m mo. to discover symptoms of disease, to pI I'd vent contagion.
 Usually these inspections are follow -s by a five minute health talk, along 0 ne of the subjects mentioned. These lesso st in personal hygiene are very gratifyi
 and it is regretted that it is not possA
 to have them take place once a week
 every school in town.
 Parents should be very grateful to t
 Norwich Red Cross chapter for givi p their children this extra health protect h. III the eeIvioss Ul 'mu nut tliou