The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-16
WORK SUMMARY
OF SCHOOL NURSE
One of Most Interesting
Features of Annual
Report
MILK DISTRIBUTION
PROVED BENEFICIAL.
Number of Physical Examinations i'm
Year, 2,9O5-Summery of Inspections
-321 Physical Defects Recommended
for Treatment

One of the most interesting features of
the annual school report just issued is
that submitted by Mrs Lucy Wells La
ZelI, school nurse, whose table of work
done shows 1,204 routine physical ex-
aminations and 1.T01 special examina-
tlons. The nurse made 462 visits to
school buildings and recommended for
treatment 321 physical defects. OF the
physical defects 232 were in the public
schools and 50 in the ParOchial school.
The teachers sent 100 pupils to the nurse.
In addition to this III absentees were
visited at their homes.
y summary of inspections showed l.
uio instances of eyes tested by the nurse.
the largest single item in the table of in
spectlonS. 1t also showed that IA chill
dren were suspected of tuberculosis.
while los had decayed teeth and SO were
anemlc and insutficiently nourished. The
summary also includes:
Ihiidren sent TO physicians IA. chill
dren taken to dentists 4. enlarged tom
SllS ST. operations for tonsils and ade-
holds II. defective vision GO decayed
teeth los. cervical glands G.. nasal OBJ
Strucuon :. OrthOpedic defects ,, plastic
orthopedlc surgery cases 3, minor dress
lhgS -, eonJunctivitis 10, Stye II, epis-
taXls t. acute coryza 244. unclean teeth
oG eXophthalmic gOitre > heart defects
:. posture defects %. obesity ]. discharg-
ing ears 81, nervous diseases 5-St. VI
tuS 3, facial palsy /. hysteria / defective
speech - burnS u. traumatic injuries IL
injected wounds 31-treated at school
~. taken to physician u illness not in
cluded in above %. of which 10 were an
pendlcltlS. eight undergoing operations ::
recommendations complied with i'm re-
gard TO physical defects 100. recommend
n -.
Struct!ons $40, recommendations and in
Structiohs given in schools and in, the
homes $50.
All the children in the grades were
weighed and measured at the beginning
and end of each term and those fOuud TO
be 10 per cent under weight were urged
TO be weighed each month. There We're
iO6 children who We're from 10 to IL
pounds under weight. 40 showed gain
in weight. ~ showed loss in weight and
six showed loss of more than five
pounds.
Shoes and clothing were bought for
children of school age and seven pairs of
glasses were secured for pupils above the
fourth grade, the expenditure amounting
to more than $500. This was taken from
the Community Christmas fund. from
which S4o0 was expended for childrens'
aid.
Following n vote of the Parent-Teacher
associations the distribution of milk was
begun Feb. to the pupils who were 10
per cent under weight and the amount
used that day was seven quarts. Later
this was increased To IL quarts a day.
As many of the children eat little break
fast it seemed only reasonable that a
glass of milk at recess should be needed
by nearly every child in school under the
age of - years. The parents were asked
to cooperate where possible by the pay
meHt of small amount. but where par
ents could not afford TO pay the milk was
given free. From that time until the
weather was such that it did not seem
advisable TO continue. 1.026 quarts of
milk were used at a cost of S160 I6. of
which the children paid $11.S6. All the
children having milk showed Il gain in
weight and did much better classroom
work