MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8992, 29 November 1907, Page 5

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

DR. MASON'S SCHEME. BY TELEGISAPII I'RESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, November 28. At a conference last night between a number of members of the medical and teaching professions regarding medical inspection of school children, the scheme propounded by Dr. Mason, Chief-Health Officer, received general support. Dr. Purdy, District Health Officer, said his original scheme was for 1,000 children.: to be examined in Auckland and. the.results compared with those obtained in Southern centres. The support received, however, enabled 5,000 children to be examined. Mr Bagnall, chairman of the Education Board, said members welcomed any movement tending to improvement of the conditions under which school childrsn worked. Dr. Mason, Chief Health Officer, emphasised the fact that the examination was optional. Teachers were doing a large amount of work, and it was proposed to take some of this off their shoul ■ ders. With respsct to the reported carelessness of parents it was pointed ont that it was not always want of care, bu 4 ; parents did not see the child under the same conditions as the teacher did. His idea was that four inspectors should be appointed for New Zealand and their whole time occupied. Ten or twelve per cent, of the 127,000 children attending the schools of the dominion were below the average standard of health; these should be set aside for a medical officer to see. He expressed his pleasure at the support accorded to the scheme, and anticipated good results.