INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 April 1913, Page 5

INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

ON MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. The headmaster (Mr W. H. Jackson) of the Ma-ste-rton District High School, mentioned im his monthly report, presented at the monthly meeting of the committee last evening, that the school had been visited by the medical inspector of the Education Department, and a number of the children examined, a report of which would later be forwarded from the Department. Mr E. Psragnell, speaking in reference to the report, said he considered the medical inspection of .school children, as at present earned out, was little moire than a farce. Thei report showed that only a section of the children had been examined. He considered that if any .-beneficial results were to be derived, the inspection, should be systematic and apply to all the children. He also thought that the Department's inspector should act in conjunction with local medical men. It would ba impossible to do valuable work if only one inspection a year was made. He thought a compulsory system of dental inspection would be j much more beneficial and satisfactory, as it was in this direction that attention was most needed. Mr A L. Falconer did not quite a<rree, and thought that the medical ' inspection of school children would have very beneficial results. Mr R. Brown (chairman) considered the subject a big one, and should be brought up at some future meeting, and fully discussed. Mr Threadwell agreed with Air Pragnell that the first consideration , should be an inspection of the children's teeth. He thought it might be well to make it a recommendation to the incoming committee to take the matter up. ♦ Mr W. H. Jackson, who was present, stated that of thirty-six reports to be issued to parents, aa a result of the inspector's visit the majority referred to dental, nasal and throat troubles. , It was finally decided that it be a recommendation to the i«eeming committee to take the question np.