MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 287, 28 August 1908, Page 7

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS

■DISCUSSED BY THE EDUCATION > ... BOARD. ' At the Education Board's meeting yesterday, a short, discussiou on "Deep-breath-ing; broadened out into the gene-ral-aspect; of medical inspection of school .'children.. . Tho discussion, in its initial stages, aroso out of a report, submitted by . Mr. Royd Garlicky Instructor in "Deep' Breathing" under tho board on the progress of the work accomplished to date, which,, in the. opinion <jf was a'most, satisfactory'one. >• i'Mr;..:Hogg was ...very-: enthusiastic in his commendation :of the „ value, of the. work which Mr. Garlick was doing among the teachers, and considered that such instruction must inevitably result in tho physical well-being of the children. This gave Captain M'Donald an opportunity. of urging .upon members the" great importance'of "a systematic'medical inspection of the school children. He moved that one of Jlje.schools..bejselected for a_t'ria.l of the system, and that the board ascertain under what conditions a member of the medical profession would undertake'to make an inspection of all the children in that school. Mr. W. C. Buchanan was of opinion that tho mover was ( a.tteinpting to deal with a very wide question. What would thq parents say to ; the proposition? Captain M'JDonald replied that, of courso, an'y inspection undertaken would be subject to the approval of the parents concerned. "He'assured the board .that, if a . thorough inspection .' were made of one particular school,..the results would astonish them: , .' Mr. Fleming (inspector) ■ reminded the board that Dr. Chappie had on one occasion conducted ;a- test of the'lung capacity of tho'pupils ', of the city schools. Thtf.chairman (Mr. Lee) suggested that the services of the' board's medical officer •(Dr. Pollen) be requisitioned for the purpose proposed bv ; Captain M'Donald. . Captain .M'Donald: The very thing. Con-'tinuing,-he said that tho results obtained 'Woiild,"ho felt convinced, be of such a nature . as. would carry the. utmost weight in any" representations which the board' might subsequently make to the Government concern'ing 'the institution of a national .system of medical inspection of schools. , : Mr. Hogg was inclined to' throw cold water on tho proposal, while Mr. Buchanan shook his head dubiously. The former could not see what tangible result could possibly follow such an inspection; " What would you do with'the youngsters. after they 1 were inspected? Put them in slieop-'dip'? " It was finally agreed that Captain M'Donald should givo notice of motion for consideration of .the question at the next meeting of the board.