Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-05-12
MEDICAL SCHOOL INSPECTION
DID Your Town Take ADVANTAGE of
the States Free Offer.

the states Free Offer.
Mr.. Editor
Evidently through some misunder-
standlng several towns failed at
eneI Marcn meeting to vote on the
question of medical inspection of
school children. This is a measure
OF utmost Importance to the head of
every family and should be given due
consideration.
Under the new Public Health law.
IL town votes to have medical in
Spectlon In the schools the work is
done by the state under the direction
OF the District Health Officer.free of
all expense to the town except for
the printing of cards on which to
Keep records of the inspection. Every
child In every school is examined once
every year for physical defects such
as defective eyesight or hearing, ade-
nolds, spinal curvature, defective
teeth, disease of the heart or lungs.
ETC., Nothing in this inspection will
be In any way Obiectional to the par
ents. No treatments are given but
accurate records are kept in each case
and the parents are urged to have the
defects remedied. Whenever a phy-
steal defect is found, a card is sent
to the parents stating the nature of
the defect and recommending that
they consult their family physician
However the parents are under no
obligation to have the defects remed-
led if they do not see fit, the object
of the inspection being simply to call
to their attention any existing ply
. steal defect which may otherwise go
unrecogniZed. Something may be
/ done later to assist parents who are
financially unable to have the defects
remedied.
The Importance of this work can
not be overestimated, as practically
/ all defects found among children may
be easily remedied while in later life
they may cause serious trouble. Ev-
, cry voter should realize the import
ance of this matter as it is only fair
! that the children of every community
, should receive the benefit of any mea-
! sure which has such great effect on
their later life.
Section 1919 of the General Laws
provides that special meeting may
be called in town on application OF
= six voters of the town, and as the ex-
, lpense of such meeting is very small
: and since the question is such an I'M
. portant one, it is earnestly urged
that all towns who have not voted
!, on this measure do so at once. Tins
: must be done if the schools are to re.
7 ceive the benefit of medical mspec
p ton during the coming year.
The advantages may be summar
:, lied as follows:
q The health of the growing chile
. determines largely the health AM
bodily vigor of the grown man: Th'
a community, therefore, can take M
Is more important step to insure the fu
ture efficiency of its citizens than tn
E. growing of healthy children. In tn
in present stage of society and ntell
st gent supervision of the health OF TN
n Children during the period OF schoo
"a life is probably one OF the most pc
to tent measures for this purpose ana j
q recognized by law in an increasln
number of states of the union.
Intensive studies of the physlcs
conditions of children in many place
have shown large numbers OF thel
to have physical defects which wei
II previously unrecognized and unsu
II pected. Many of the defects thu
II shown are preventable and remed
II able. Their persistence results NJ
III lonly in reduced Individual efnclenc
H as is so clearly shown by the high pc
HI lcentage of those found unht Tor M
II litary service in the physlcal eHai
III nations conducted under the selectI
n service law. y
II The conditions under which en-
dren assemble in school and not {
school itself. are largely responsll
n for much of the sickness contract
II, during the period of school life, a
III for the persistence of physical
- fects. !.
The control of adverse causes oil
ing this period not only exercises
Immediate beneficial effect on
health of the children, but SER
most effectively to teach the prlnclp
Of nbvsical hygiene the observal
Of Which is now believed to be mail
responsible for the large annual
creesa in the number of deaths fr
deoenerative diseases that occur
later life -, ~ ell,
RI nrevent and correct impairment
hearing and vision and to detect
normalities of color perception,
secure dental attention, to Anew
. postural defects, to place the nor:
child in an environment pest Iui
for physical development, grea1y
stricts the range of Industrial, p'
ness and professional opportunity
,,t admit life. Moreover, number
defective children are unable TO Z
full advantage of their educatlo
nnnortunities. They fall behind
school work, become discouraged
! canse unable to keep pace with =
I NAL children in their. classes, and
4 timately "quit school, poorly equip
a for useful citizenship. 1t is Oh pr
~ importance to the community, lns
I fore. to take cogizance of these :
/ sibiiities in order that steps may
N taken to prevent them. rultl
a more, the control OF com conn Inn he
ssee nsiib more effectively when
I S dertpken in connection with med
i INSPECTION of school children. ~.
II n,e5+ of hearing and vision,
pIaro, To degenerative diseases