The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-23
WHO NEEDS A PERIODIC HEALTH EXAMINATION?
Examination?


 Now and again a fellow gets a bit balled up in this job of instructing and advising all ana sundry about health, happiness and the pur-
 suit of what have you; Say there are att,1a sHs1n in the ante-room. We'll, by the time you finish off correspondent No 23e you begin to grow a
 trife bored and your thoughts wanaer a, oyer we, onto the bowling green and first thing you know you are answering some fool question with consideration only for the correspondent s
 happiness and none at all for the general wei fare. That won't do at all. In this job the gen. eral welfare must always be kept in mind. For instance, answered query one day by say
 ing in my opinion it IS nne TOT % g,rrs asaha sse can enjoy a swim. A little later I came Tn Tor a severe censure because I failed 70 warn tne general public about the danger of swimming in polluted water.
 Recently I have made similar error in giv- ing advice about routine medical. health or physical examinations of school children. In various communities the health autnorities are endeavorine to carry on a general examination of all scheel children for evidences or tupercu- losis. The method is to give each child first the
 skin tuberculin test, and then to make carefui
 physical examinations and also x-ray examina- tions of all the children who show positive
 reaction to the skin tuberculin test. A small
 nositive reaction are found to have incipient or
 early lung tuberculosis. By thus recognizing the existence of the actual lung involvement
 before the child's health is much impaired, the
 health authorities are in position to institute proper treatment or general hyg1enc meas ures to insure recovery or to prevent the child from becoming a chronic invalid. Obviously this means a great saving of money for the child's parents, and for the state, too- have been urging parents to cooperate with this endeayor of the health authorities and to | believe the child who is so examined Is forum
 But after all, the method is too costly to
 carry on in this universal fasnion. c9Sas ths
 chest and to interpret them. It costs 100 much
 to apply the skin test to all the children In g
 given schcool or class, when pernaps oniy ,s' two
 three out of several nunoreq nave any a''Ne
 So I now apologize to the public for my at
 tude in reference to these m sssrxed sssr for children who are evidently below standard for their age and class in physical development and robustness. The cost of the examination should be borne by the child's parents, not by the community. - Likewise think all so called periodic health examinations are silly and extravagant. my self would not pay out good money for any such examination unless believed or feared my health was not quite up to par As long as solutey sound never mind periodic examina- tion, unless you're anxious to snow the doctor
 what fine shape you have.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Constant Wheeze
 You say that . person with true asthma has But where . person has it every night and
 never any interval of relief at all, how wonld you (H. w. J.D Answer-That is not asthma.
 Empyema
 Girl operated on at age of 10 years. and part of a rib removed, for pus in the chest. She got entirely over it. and she fs now 2f and serious ly in love, But there Is still some pus left fin the chest near the heart. which causes 1t to race when she get hurried. (M. J. E) Answer-If the operation wound healed there can't be any pus left. If there is. then don't understand the case at all and am unable to offer any advice.
 The Gas Bin
 We tried out plain farmers wheat as . breakfast cereal. on your suggestion. and we liked it, hut oh, boy, when the gas bln came In at the end of the month we quit buying ft. You have to cook 1t about three hours. So we now buy course cracked wheat instead. (M. G.) Answer--And you pay somebody for coarse ly cracking 1t. Why not have your own coffee mill and crack your wheat if you prefer it so7 Or let the mornings supply of wheat soak over night in cold water, and then cook it 70 min- utes, in the water it has soaked in. tcopyright John F. Dlile co)