CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2378, 12 January 1922, Page 4

CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

TROUBLES NEED ATTENTION.

“How far are defects in the health of pupils of primary schools as revealed by medical inspectors being remedied ” was the text of a question put to the Minister of Education by Mr Mitchell. The Hon. C. .1. Parr said that at present if defects of which intimation had been given to parents were not remedied in three months, the nurses interviewed the parent of the sufferer, and advised them what treatment was desirable. It often happened that doctors or nurses took the children to the hospital or clinics when parents were unable to afford it. In 75 per cent, of cases where need of treatment had been drawn attention to, parents saw that it was given. Most of the treatment required was for teeth, and this was practically all provided by dental clinics. The next greatest malady met with was eye trouble. At the present time the Department was considerably handicapped by v/ant of finance, but it was considering the advisability of appointing an eye specialist. He referred to (he generosity of doctoi*s in treating these cases. It was agreed by doctors, he concluded, that the most important matter in following up the work of the inspectors was the regulation of diet, good health depending more upon healthy habits of living than care of disease.