SCHOOL HYGIENE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1930, Page 6

SCHOOL HYGIENE

WHAT NEW ZEALAND IS DOING

Wlmt New Zealand was doing to improve the health of her school children was told by Dr. Ada Paterson, Director of School Hygiene, at the Trades Hall, Wellington.

Tracing the history-, of the, school medical service in this country, Hi. Paterson said that in 1912, three school medical officers, of whom she was one, were appointed. To-day there .were 12 officers, a junior, and 31 school nurses, while the- medical officers for health in two districts were half-time, school officers in the di\ision. '• !. "•

These medical officers, notified parents when children were suffering from defects. It was impossible to examine every child each year, but they tric'd to examine them at least three times in their school career —as entrant children, and in standards 2 and 6. If either a parent or a teacher wished a child not in the routine classes to he examined, they had only to let the officer know. Parents received .a written notice! -whenever trouble had been detected. After the doctor came the school nurse, whose duty it was to see that children wlici had beeii noted as needing treatment, received it. If the attention had not been given, she paid n visit to the home to find out why, and if the parents could not take the child for treatment, she did so, afterward returning it' to the parents. Pile also gave advice coiicerning general health matters in the home. Last year, 64 per cent, of the cases noted received treatment, and in some larger towns. Wellington among them, the percentage rose to 90 per cent. New Zealand children compared very favourably with, those of othet countries in rescal'd to such things as personal cleanliness. However, many suffered from malnutrition, though by that term she did not mean underfeeding.