Evening star., 1928-04-15


decidedly worth while. The present an
nuai examinations of school children
number considerably less than $4,000
These inspections rank among the most
important duties of the Health Depart
ment experts. The activities are
cr&;aped by the limited personnel. A
much larger corps OF medical and dental
inspectors and school nurses is a vital
need.
The District is many laps behind
other leading cities in its school medi-
cal and dental work. The Health De-
partment, however, makes effective use
of its restricted facilities and very linz
tied personnel.
During the last fiscal year 2.443 pu-
pills were excluded from District schools
on account of various health difficulties
and disorders. Ninety-five per cent of
the 3.76l kindergarten and firSt-grade
pupils who were examined were found
to have certain physical defects
AS a warning to parents of the great
variety Of Affections which may impair
/ the physical health of their children
/ the following record of those ailments
is cited: Defective teeth. CTS per cent:
diseased tonSilS, 46.7 per cent: enlarged
cervical glands, 1872 per cent; poor
nutrition. 243 per cent; defective nasal
breathing. 2l,9 per cent: defective
vision. 1913 per cent; orthopedic defects,
! l0.9 per cent; anemia, 81 per cent; skin
and parasitic diseases, &c per cent:
nasal catarrh. SO per cent: defective
/ speech, as per cent; pulmonary dis
eases. 46 per cent: nervous system, 4
/ per cent, and cardiac disease, 23 per
cent
OF I24 pupils who we're retarded in
/ their school work. 100 were found to be
suffering from physical defects which
! impaired their rapid educational ad-
1 vancement. In the neighborhood of
1000 i'll 10 different schools. were given
the "Schick test" and l.40O OF those
/ found to be susceptible were immunizcd
against dlphtherla by the adminiStra-
/ tion of "toXin-antitoXin !"
The spread of contagious diseases in
/ the SchoolS-the common source of
communications nipped III the bud as
/ far as possible. SChoolroornS as we'll as
students are inspected frequently. and
whenever traces or causes of disease
are found they are eradicated
promptly. Such important matters as
the lighting of the clasSroomS. use of
sUn shades. adjustment of desks. chairs
and other fixtures to the size of the
pupil ventilation and heating of the
buildings and the maintenance of
drinking fountains in sanitary condi-
ton all come under this surveillance
/ The Health Department Immediately
| makes recommendations TO the BoaHd
of Education to improve unsatisfactory
conditions. when any are found.
When District boys and girls are old
enough to go TO work. the Health De-
partment cnce again plays the role of
referee to ascertain their physical fit
ness for the type OF employment with
which they seek affiliation. From 500
( To he s.o
correspondence with District law. per-
mitS being issued TO those who qualify
successfully 10 engage in such CONNER
cial activities. Candidates for admis-
sion TO normal schools and teaching
positions are also required TO pass rigid
physical examinations.
y
4 ROUND OF inspection trips keeps
a corps of % District represent
atives busy checking up on the quality
and purity of Washingtons food sup
plies and the sanitation and cleanliness
of the restaurants. hotels and lunch
rooms that serve the public. You viii
be astonished to learn that 81 $50 such
visits were made during the last year.
The cooperative aid of the Police De-
partment was invoked. wherever neces-
sary. 10 straighten out Illegal conditions
That this inspection is efficient is
demonstrated by the relatively few
cases Of food poisoning which occur
annually in the District. All decom-
posed or tainted foods are confiscated
and destroyed as found by the District
inspectors Food merchants and lunch
room proprietors who violate the pure
food laws are prosecuted and punished.
Although the Health Department does
not specialize in spying. 1t is sometimes
necessary TO resort to secret systems OF
obtaining evidence to convict those who
cialize products which are unfit for hui
man consumption. DR.. Fowler instructs
certain professional pugchascrs" on his
staff TO visit suspicious establishments
in order TO buy their products over the
counter" These sample goods are sub
sequently carried TO the District food
laboratories, where experienced chemists
test and analyZe the materials.
Some I.700 dairy farms in Maryland
and Virginia now provide milk for Ma
tional Capital consumption. Eight in
spectorS employed by the District live
in as many different dairying localities
and devote all their time TO inspecting
the herds, stables, milk utensils and
dairies Of their districts. Their calls are
always unannounced.
No dairy farm can market milk In the
! District unless II has been inspected by
one of these Official examiners" and
unless the cattle have all been tested
for bovine tuberculosis, Washington
makes 1t obligatory that producers
maintain steam sterilizers on their
farms and subject all utensils TO ster-
llazation each time after use. Produc-
GRE al lee mr. af
ate their milk and cream and hold 1t
at q low, uniform storage temperature
previous 10 and during shipment 10 the
city. District dairying requirements are
enforced rtgidly Hence the superiority
! OF the Washington milk supply.
In order 10 check the purity and
quality Of the milk and cream market
ed daily in the District, local inspectors
browse about the city from 2 TO z
! O'Clock or later each morning. stopping
/ dairy delivery wagons or trucks
wherever they find them, In order TO col
/ lect samples of their commercial prod
ucts Each specimen is placed in q
T sterile container and eventually is de-
! llVcred by the inspector TO the District
/ laboratory. where it is tested for butter
! fat content, added water and purity as
/ evidenced by bacterial count. In excess
! NJ ten thousand samples Of milk and
/ 3T5 Of cream are tested each year.
! The 20 diaries in Washington are In
/ spected even more palnstakingly than
are the individual farms which speckIe
the countryside IN Maryland and Vir-
ginia The average dairy is inspected
/ 40 times a year. equivalent 10 one visit
! from the District inspector once every
nine days.
y u
3 -
District, which slaughter about
/ 40 900 hogs, cattle. sheep and calves
annually The District inspectors visit
/ these packing plants frequently, 10
/ make sure that their food products meet
/ sanitary requirements.