Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-02-21
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 81, 1920
REMAIN UNVACCINATED.
Ono Hoaith Officer Says Not Ono In
Ton In His District Has Taken
ProcRution.

State that. Notwithstanding tho we'll
inown and generally admitted effici
cncy Of vaccination as preventive OF
smallpox very large percentage Of
population rematns unvaccinated oven
with the loathsome disease, with oil
its attendant horrors and EXPENSE
continuing to appear each year In
from 40 to SO per cent of the coun.
ties OF tho State.
-@r Even the platu word OF tho law Us
to the vaccination of school children
10 UNDECIDED. One county health on
coo declares that, with smallpox In
MS county and not infrequent vie
itor thoreto according to Health De
Dartmcnt records, not one school child
i'll ten has been vaccinated and that
tho proportion is about the same IN
the adalt population.
The State law as to vaccination I'm
the schools provides that, within thir
W uays after entering a public FREQ
school every teacher and pupil shals
FURNISH accrtificate from reputable
physician certifying that such teach
en- or pupil has been successfully or
properly vaccinated, or is entitled TO
exemption by reason of peculiar ply
seal condition. provided nothing in
the section quoted shall preclude IL
school board from requiring immedl-
ate vaccination in case OF an epidem
lc OF smallpox. Or the annual reyacci
nation OF those who have not furn
'5hcd certificates Of proper vaccinat-
ION; provided further that the opera
ton Of this requirement may be sus
pended in whole or in part by the
school board Of any city or county.
R'rnylSinn ic
1T the public expense OF those who are
unable to meet tho expense out OF
their own means.
In the absence Of any action OH the
part Of local school authorities to
suspend the operation of the law re
uuiring general vaccination OF school
children and teachers all such per-
sons attending the schools without
having been vaccinated or without
legal exemption thercfrom, are do
ing so in violation of the State law
The same physician who makes tho
complaint noted declares that the
l.. S. Government has vaccinat-
oil 5000 people in the Philippine Is
lands without a fatal result and that
rs Il sequel to such an achievement,
smallpox has almost been driven from
the Islands.
Wcrc such general vaccination
secured iii Virginia the disease would
pract tcally be cNterminatod in Virgin
Ia. State Health Department Officials
declare.
Have YOU been noticing the worth
while work being done by our Coun
~ Nurses and the teachers since mcdi
cal inspections were provided for in
Virginia by law?
These nurses arc telling interest.
inG tales Of the serious conditions
they find and the way they are being
rcmcdied. Over in Il corner Of Il rur
a. schoolroom,' says one nurse, ] find
liti'r boy whom the teacher says Is
stupd-hc never gets out Of one
grade. His mouth hangs OPEN he
doesn't breathe through his nose
yes. he does look stupid. But bring
him to the window and look down
his throat. Just as l thought. Tonsils
enlarged. adenoidS-his throat is
almost closed. No wonder he seems
stupid"
On tho back seat Of the room is
"a very bad little girl" she will not
he attentive, and fidgets rcstlessly
whenever problems are on the black
board. But | take my SncllingS eye
card and have this little girl stand
twenty feet away. She can read the
first line, and the second line; but
the third onc?-no! Of course she is
restless. for She can't see what is writ
ten on the blackboard.
Il go back to that school six
months later. The mother of the "stu
pid littlo boy" has been induced to
take him to a doctor and have his
tonSils and adenoids removed Now
his mouth is closed he breathes
through his nose. He no longer looks
stupid; he isn't stupid and will make
his grade this year. He has rcgained
his self-rcspect.
And where Is the little girl who
couldn't see? There she is and she is
no longer restless! Her mother was
poor so the nurse had her taken to
the DiSpcnsary: her eyes were eX
amlncd without charge; her glasses
were supplied at cost; and she is
now able to sec and to study happily
and we'll"
These and many similar eXpcrienc
have shown how valuable 1t is to
ave all Virginia's school children
arcfully examined. But the numer-
us physically defective children have
also shown the need for enabling the
teachers to give instruction in whole
some physical training to all their
pupils. and a Bill is now before the
General Assembly with Senator West
and Delegate Deans as patrons, max
ing more adequate provisions for
finding out what is wrong with our
children's health and over coming the
difficulty. Prominent educators and
health authorities throughout the
state are suggesting that all parents
and others interested in this move
ment for physical welfare write their
legislators. urging their support OF
this important measure.