Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-06
PUPILS IN GRADES
LACKING IN WEIGHT
Remedies Suggested by Dr.
Murphy Following Inspec-
ton in Fourteen Schools.

Nearly one-third of the children in
trict are 10 per cent or more under
weight. This was shown in statistics
compiled today by DR.. Joseph A
Murphy, supervising medical inspector
of the public schools. following a spe-
cfal nutrition study of all the pupils
in fourteen selected elementary
schools
Not only did the scientific study.
which was conducted by medical IN
spectorS and nurses. disclose that an
CHARMING number of the children are
underweight. but showed that col
ored pupils are better nourished on
the whole than the white. or at least
heavier for age and height
The statistical report compiled by
DR.. Murphy shows that 3,913 children
Were examined and only rs per cent
of them Were of exact normal weight
SiXty-sevenSand nine-tenths per cent
of them were below normal weight
Remedies Suggested.
Remedial measures to prevent any
increase in the physical defects OF
the children and to reduce the pres
Superintendent of Schools Ballou and
the board of education by DIR. Murphy
in September. Among the most
salient of Dr. Murphys recommends
tons will be one requesting that the
children be weighed and measured
quarterly. After this quarterly weigh
ing and measuring it is the Inten-
ton of the medical inspector to SEND
a notice to the parents of the ch1id S
actual weight and the amount he
should weigh.
He pointed out that such a plan Will
stimulate an interest on the part OF
the child and parent in securing nor
NAL weight, through proper diet, prop
Or hygiene and the correction OF phys
zeal defects.
The quarterly weighing and meas
uring, in the>> belief of Dr.. Murphy,
should be a part of the regular work
of the school The record Of the
actual weight and the normal weight
of each child, DR.. Murphy contends,
should be sent to the parent on the
regular report card.
Diet Textbooks Urged.
Another of Dr. Murphy's recon-
mendations will be that a textbook on
the proper diet of children be distrib-
uted in the schools for reading and
teaching personal hygiene. The med
ical inspector also will request that a
thorough examination of the school
children be made at least once a year.
Pupils found to be 10 per cent or more
underweight during this thorough
yearly examination, DR.. Murphy be-
lieves, should be examined more fire.
quently and should be followed up
by a physician and school nurse to
discover and remove the cause of the
Hnderweight- %
Dr. Murphy will further recommend
to DIR. Ballou and the school board
that an open-air school be established
in each school division for the pur-
pose of providing for pupils under
weight and undernourished. In the
proposed open-air schools DR.. Murphy
will recommend that provisions be
the pupils at actual cost.
Inspection of Children.
The weighing and measuring of the
children was followed by a superficial
Inspection OF each child without re-
moval of any clothing. and the physi-
cal defects thus discovered ard>noted.
All pupils found to vary from the
normal weight by as much as 10 per
cent were requested to secure writ
ten consent from their parnts for
thorough physical examination
The average number of pounds un-
derweight of the children examined
was 6.S2, while the average over
weight was 1856 pounds. Comparison
between the white and colored figures
showed that 26-3 of the colored pupils
were 10 per cent or more underweight.
while So per cent Of the white children
were 10 per cent or more underweight.
The percentage of physical defects
found varied according to the grades
the pupils attended. A larger number
the kindergarten and second grade
than in the eighth grade. OF the
total number of children examined, it
was found that the average ratio of
defects was about / Y to each child
DIR. Murphy pointed out that the per-
centage of these defects represented
only those discovered on superficial
Inspection