DOCTORS IN SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2373, 14 December 1908, Page 2

DOCTORS IN SCHOOL.

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF * CHILDREN. SUCCESSFUL GERMAN SYSTEM. The German system of medical inspection for schools' is acknowledged to be producing excellent ’ results. German children do not, as a rule commence school attendance until they reach the age. of six,. says Miss Joan Stanton in the “Daily News.’ Within or three days of thenentry they are roughly examined for communicable disease and vermin. Within a month from their first day at school all children are thoroughly overhauled in order to see (1) whether they should be “postponed 1 ” for a year; (2) whether they require a prolonged medical supervision; (3) if they should he excluded from any special branch of study, such as singing, gymnastics or reading; (4) if the time de\ r oted to study should be limited; (5) whether special seats should he assigned to them on account of defective sight or hearing. The schools arc visited fortnightly by the medical officers, and parents are invited to he present. The examination of individuals includes nose, ears, skiu|j> bones, heart, lungs, spine, and speech, the chest expansion is measured, 'and sight and (hearing thoroughly tested. In suspicious cases.a further examination follows. Occasionally parents are directed to keep a child from school for a year, and frequently there is a direction that a child should be taken to hospital or to a physician for treatment. Means are found of influencing parents who ignore the warnings of the school inspectors. After this preliminary examination there is, as a rule, no individual examination until a pupil is in his third school year. There is another examination two years later. These examinations may be avoided if the school schedule is filled in by the family doctor, and a detailed examination of girls over ten caniipt be undertaken in school without the consent of the parents, winch is, however, seldom withheld. In sorno cities a special report is sent out to the parents on the discharge of the child from the elementary school pointing out the weak points in its constitution, and suggestions arc made as to future occupation. I lie inspecting officers keep ail eye on> tlie sanitation of the school-rooms, and watch tlie classes while they are being taught. Annual reports arc furnished to flic authorities, and every three years there is an imperial conference of medical, officers of schools;