Putnam patriot., 1925-01-16
ONLY "A SCHOOL PUPILS FOUND
 TO BE IN PERFECT HEALTH
Statement Made In Report of School Physician Causes
 Surprise
Dr.. Lsmsrehe's Interesting Report to
 School Board

The report of Dr. c. T. Lamarche. town school physician. for the year just closed. made to the town school committee. is full of interesting facts concerning the health and defects of children in Putnam schools. The re- port Is as follows:
 New Departure To the School Committee of the Town
 of Putnam:
 In presenting this report to you personally i am departing from the custom of former years, but l thought you might like to hear directly from your school physician. and perhaps would like Co ask for additional infor- nation relative to the work being done by the health staff in the schools of Putnam.
 The physical records brought to your attention are those of the first four months of the present term, and include the work done Ut the paro- chial schools. Though these schools are not under your jurisdiction. at the same time t was through the action of this committee that all the children of this locality had the great privilege of this medical inspection, and feel sure you will be interested in the health condition of that half of our young generation. It will also permit you to compare with the other half, of which will give you the report at the end of the year.
 Many Examinations
 have examined 773 pupils from the first of December to the middle of De- cember. Every child has been meas ured, weighed. the lungs and heart examined, as we'll as the teeth and throat and ears, physical defects looked tor, and careful examination made of the eyes. Everything was re- corded and Is on file in this office.
 Here is the result of this inspection: Only seventy -four pupils were found in perfect health. By perfect health" l mean that every question on the rec ord was answered satisfactorily. Nu- triton. pulse, vision. hearing. tonsils, ! heart and lungs were found In perfect { condition. Regarding nutrition. | found 39o children oG normal weight; E IDS fair tthOse who were not more | than five per cent under weight i25 | with poor nutrition. There are in this school sixteen per cent of the children | not properly nourlshed.
 Dental Treatment Effective
 sad ng seth. lo4 children have
 t4l iH ur-s gIass condition. including Iuite few who had the nelp uf the chUai dentist 33B had teeth in fair condition. those who had not more han one or tWo teeth affected, 253 were really bad. aa average Of thirty sWo per cent. his average Is great daal lower than when these examiua aons were begun. dae to dental treat meHt.
 Regarding tonsils and adenoids, 1 found l6S children affected with en- larged tonsils. and adenoids, or 2 per cent l am glad to tell you that have succeeded in having a clinic establish ed at the Day kimball hospital. Every afternoon Dr. Paine is will ing to treat children with affected tonsils at a fee commensurate with the means of the parents and the au- of the hospital have con sented to the arrangement.
 Defective Eyes
 As to sight, there are 106 children in the school with defective vision. Many of them have already consulted Dr. Burroughs, who holds clinic at the Day kimball hospital every thursday afternoon. He works on the same principle as Dr. Paine.
 I found 20 with disturbances of the ungs. They were advised to consult Dr.. Hugh B. Campbell of Norwich, who holds a clinic at the Day Kimball hospital once month Of those who ks. ksaa- fatsgaA )f active tuberculosis.
 Advises Physical Culture
 There are 28 orthopedic cases, ome ot them permanent. + he others nave been advised to follow some sys- .em of physical culture suited to their ailments.
 There are 14 cases of heart disease; 34 Of defective hearing.
 During the period that this report covers we have vaccinated S2 child ren, and l am glad to announce that every child has now been vaccinated, excepting those who had certificates from their family physician. The state of health has given his felicitations to Putnam as being the only town in the state where this work has been done so thoroughly.
 Scarlet Fever Appears
 Scarlet fever made it's appearance Oct. 7th, and on Oct. 18th 20 child ren at Israel Putnam school were found to be lightly affected, and PC were excluded because they lived in houses where the disease was. On Oct 23rd l directed the school nurse to examine every child in this school every day for symptoms of the disease and report to me any suspects. We kept up that daily inspection until Dee. lst. when your committee de- eided to close this school. IL was kept closed for five days.
 In my Judgment the situation could nave been better controlled and the health of the children more closely by keeping the school ipen. But the parents Of the children were frightened. taking their children lut of school. causing loss in studies 70 all the pupils so the committee, in Is wisdom deemed it best Co close the ,chool entirely for this time.
 There has been one case of diphthe- ria at the high school. The pupils at he school were all examined, and the nurse was sent to the patient tO see hat all due precautions were observed.