TO PREVENT EPIDEMICS.

Shannon News, 4 December 1928, Page 3

TO PREVENT EPIDEMICS.

EXAMINATION OF PUPILS. AT END OF VACATION. In order that the schools in Christchurch may start after the summer holiday with a clean bill of health, it was suggested by Mr. A. C. Maxwell, headmaster of the Phillipstown School, at a meeting of the 'Canterbury Education Board, that all Christchurch pupils be medically examined before they resume lessons after the vacation. . Mr. Maxwell' wrote submitting a suggestion that, all Christchurch pupils be medically examined before the schools resume in February after the Christ* fas vacation. The necessity for the medical examination, he stated, would arise from the scarlet fever epidemic.

No pupil should be allowed Jto attend schools after the holidays if that pupil had not been medically examined. By that arrangement the schools would start after the holidays with a clean bill of health. He believed that parents would fall in with the suggestion gladly. The chairman (Mr. W. H. Windsor): It’s a pretty big order, isn’t it? The chairman went on to say that Dr. Telford and Dr. Valintine had told him that there had been Scarlet fever throughout the Dominion. He had asked them why they ffiad picked up Christchurch, when the aisease was apparently just as bad in other centres, but no answer had been given him, ‘ ( Mr. Maxwell’s suggestion is a practical one,” said Mr. C. S. Thompson, who moved that the chairman of the board be asked to interview the Health Department about the matter and submit a report. “I think that parents will object to the idea, especially those who go out of town for the" summer holidays,” said Mr. W. A. Banks. “It will mean curtailing the holidays by a, week if the children are to be examined. We can’t compel the children to. come back to school before their holidays arc up.” Mr. Thompson said that time could be found for the examination even if the holidays were extended for a week. Mr. R. Wild pointed out that there would be no proof that the children would not catch some sickness between the time they were examined and the time they went back to school. It would be a better plan to transfer school officers from other districts, and get the examination over in one day, just before school began. The chairman said that scarlet fever ■ in all places was the santfh He was annoyed that they should have fixed on Christchurch and made an example of it, when it was no worse here than in . anv other place, Mr. E. 11. Andrews.: I don’t think the ‘ idea is practicable. “It is desirable, though.” said .Mr. , Thompson. Air. Thompson’s motion that the chairman interview the Health Department about' the matter and report, was carried. '