HEALTH NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 100, 30 April 1931, Page 17

HEALTH NOTES

SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE

PREVENTION OF DISEASE

(Contributed by the Department of Health.) Truly, as Sir George Newman writes on the welfaro of the school child, "It is manifest that a healthy childhood of sound physique is the genesis of'the building on which alone now preventive medicine can be established. Every infant savod from death in infancy, and every school child equipped for useful citizenship is a living stone in this building. The school doctor who makes possible the monding of an ailing child, makes two blades of health grow where one grew before. He is laying tho only possible foundation of national health; and ho builds for the future; for the routine work of school medical service has. a vastly wider purpose than the collection of medical statistics, and oven tho individual amelioration of a particular child. It makes practicable a fuller education of the people as a whole; it adds to'lifo "the joy of thoso who are Jiealed." It is the prelude of national efficiency."

Twenty years ago in New Zealand in the early days of medical inspection of school children abundant evidenco was/found of the physical needs of ailing and underfed school children; wero thea too often the medium for. the uncontrolled spread of. dangerous infectious diseases, while an enormous amount of physical disability due to defective eyesight, decayed teeth, enlarged tonsils,' and adenoids, uncleanliness, malnutrition, and a host of so-called "minor ailments" was revealed.. The problem of making "two, blades of health grow ,where one grew before" was of paramount importance to our school ■ children, and this was realised by our statesmen and doctors, with' a result that to-day .■"'our children physically more than favourably compare with those of other countries. The school medical service stands as an imperishable monument 'of*" tvise, far-seeing-statesmanship.

Every year thousands of children leave the public schools to start their lifes' work. During their school life many ,of these have been found to suffer- from Visual defects, enlarged tonsils aid adenoids, defects of hearing, goitre,_.and - dental disease. These arc all common defects, which failing their cure or correction, tend to produco permanent loss of faculty. Twenty years ago there was no organised attempt to remedy this vast evil; there were, it is --true, then as now, the private medical and dental practitioners and the public hospitals, bnt it is beyond question that with occasional .exceptions the great bulk of these conditions were left, unremedicd. What has school medical inspection done for these? It can.1 be stated that the average leaver of to-day is taller, heavier, and in better nutritive condition than his predecessor twenty years ago. Any handicap due to defective vision or hearing has generally been reduced or abolished so far as medical skill can accomplish this. He is very seldom the victim, of severe crippling deformity.' He has learnt habits of cleanliness and has been saved from the prolonged discomfort and loss of school attendance due to neglected inflammatory conditions of thp^eyes, ears, and skin. In all '/these' way> he leaves'school substantially, bettor equipped to fulfil .the work and enjoy the pleasures of life. In conclusion, the following remarks of Sir George Newman, who is responsible to .tho British Government for tho health of tho school children, •should.'-be bomeiir mlnaf^'When'^'a' reader turns to study she dull records of the school' medical service,, its audit and account, if he will come with understanding, he .will find a plain tale of the narrow way, the discovery of the ailing child and healing of the tens of thousands of individuals. iSufc on closer observations with the seeing eye .he find nothing less than ■, the broad highway.of a nation's health". He will discover the hidden secret of an unseen reform, a service of science and humanity^ which is silently but certainly changing tho prospeotis and hopes' of the English people." This records of the New Zealand school medical service may'fairly claim to toll a similarstory. . ' ■