School Medical Inspection.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1841, 23 August 1906, Page 3

School Medical Inspection.

SUGGESTIONS BY DR. MASON. PRESS ASSOCIATION Auckland, last night. In the discussion by tbe Eluoation Board this morning as to Dr. Mason’s suggestions for medical inspection of school children the eecrelaty slated that the present position was that the Board at its last meeting decided to 00-operate with the Health Department (subjet to the sanotion of the Edooation Minister) in regard to a comprehensive soheme. Tbe Chairman said that clause 4 of the scheme recommends the holding p; meetings of teachers to be instructed by the Distriot Health Officer, so that on detec-i tion of early signs of illness the children could be dealt with at once. In regard to the rest of tbe sobeme the Board must await further detii'ed proposals from the Health Department. Mr Harris held that the Beard was not right in usurping the responsibilities of the parents. If the dootor reported a defect tbe doty fell upon the pa-onts to repair it, but in many oases the trouble resulted from want of soffioient fo.d rather than from oDy physical delect. The Chairman said that legisla’ion would have to be got if necessary. There woro defects suoh a curva'me of tbe spine, wbioh parents would often not suspect till it was too late to remedy it Mr Edgecumbo said tbe same could be said of defeotivc eyesight. Tbe Chairman moved, that in regard to elausi 4, Dr. Frengley bo asked whether he oould iroture to tho teachers, as suggested by Dr. Mason, during the Michaelmas holidays, This was agreed to.