MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10275, 30 June 1911, Page 5

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

DR VALJNTINE'S PnaPOSALk Br Yaha/tine outlined, h&;preposa]%> for tihe medical of school* children, at tihe Hospital* Conference in. Wellingtoa' yesterday, w as follow©: r 1. The instruction of teachers at- c tending the training colleges in our'*', cliief centres by means ( o£. lectures on anthropometry and dasea-ses and defects incidental to school life. These lectures could be given, by medical practitioners and specialists. 2. Co-operation on the part of the private medical practitioner. 3. The initiation or extensio-i of out-patients' departments at our general hospitale. 4. The fact that, speaking broadlyy the Government paid half the pital expenditure,- r of. the Dominion. *' By means'of subsidies "froni tlle-Oon-solidated F*nd. DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL." " In outlining the details, of' the scheme", he explained— That'aijfc jh regular, intervals teachers. k wouJd,, fee* reqiuired to 1 hedght, weight, and chest'measurements of scholars, and forward, same' to tihe Department of PtibMo Hearth. (2) Teachers to carefully watch for I signs of illness and defects of or hearing. (8) To report t <ta> the Education Boards children suspected to be suffering from illness- or defects, such reports to-be 'confidential. (4) The Board'to report ' parent concerned, and (af the parent is unable to pay for medical jtdvioe) make arrangements to send- such child to the out-patients' ment of the hospital. (pf Medical attendant to fill in a report on the case, and send same to the Board, with instructions for further treatment. „ A , 4 SUPPLEMENTABY AID." The scheme \yould be snpplemented by the appointment of 'social V medicaF inspectors. td tihe work of the teachers, to? compile reports- and enquire into, the' sanitary j isurroundwigs of 'schools: - The reI ports of district health officers and I inspectors under the Public Health j Acts would also; be: L ,available, ~so■'.'•'■'-. I that the- medical attendant; would .be ,■;■■ better able to decide as to whether . there-was any factor in the surrounding of a child contributing to its illness. Then there could be periodical visits by the Health Officers to schools, and, lastly, there could be the- appointment of school nurses. Naturally, these could be appointed later, but in the meantime two mur- V ses now iu the department and the district nurse 6 could, undertake the : work. .