MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13234, 20 July 1906, Page 6

MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

—— —♦ 1)B. MASON'S SUGGESTIONS. [by TELEGRAPH. —OW'S COJIItKHPON r , , . :r- •• ".Mr" V" . CnßiSTcnußcir, Thursday. y:>j: While in Duncdin recently, Dr., .Mason* chief health officer, sketched a scheme for' *' the periodica,] ■' medical crimination , oi : .vl school children. Dr. Mason parsed j; 1 #.' through Christcfaurch on his way north* .;• and iu conversation with a Press represents' tivo gave some additional information oa > the subject. In reply to a, question a# to V whether it would not ho possible for the , * Health f Department to undertake tHill duties of inspection, Dr. Mason said that xt the present time the officers of the Depart- §§||§ ment had really got more work than : tlitgr . could do. If the Department were able'to : V get the assistance of an outside practitiucei p| when wanted they would not have to' W : ?!j§|| anything like the same amount as would be . necessary to retain the full services of an assistant district health officer. It was far economical re;,eons that ho had suggested, ] that the services of an outside practitioner ■' in each district should be obtained when-Tt-J ' quired. Dr. Mason explained that all Its was doing so far was to formulate - the t«sf •' ; workable scheme he could for the carrying' * > j out of the proposal which • had emanated',, from .the Minister .at Dunedin. Two • i gestions were made, one being that in eKch f , j health district a medical inspector should ? be appointed to look after the schools in th«". whole of that district. The Department' J/,1 might pay half the cost, and the education J V;;; boards the other half. That- scheme would •<"' be an expensive one, hut nil the schools, country as well as. town, would receive , »|;^^ : i benefit of the scheme. The second «n<i OSS, leaser scheme was that in each of the large ] centres a local man should be appointed at ;• I » salary of from £100 to £150 annually. ' l \„ | who would look after the schools in hi* di£|Sp|| trict. The Department- would also probably | pay half the cost of that. and this would ; '£?BNj "j v e them control of the data obtained. V' | Under that scheme, however." the country ■ districts would he left. out. • Questioned a# to what would happen;to the country tricts if the. lesser scheme were adopted, /*;■>' Dr. Mason said his hope was that- once th ? limited scheme, had proved a success ;t would be extended ;>.«? required *»> as to itt*-J elude the country districts. At lie was astonished at the'enthusiastic way j,*# •; in which the teachers hat! taken up tin 4 ||||f} poftal. and he felt sure now that, the ers all over the cot on v would rise to Ui. v <"'• casion most admirably. The Minister had,, authorised him to formulate the best scheme he could. lie wan now collecting as much ~r information as possible from the parties ihterested. and lie would then draw scheme and submit it to the Minister approval.