HEALTH IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19412, 21 August 1926, Page 11

HEALTH IN SCHOOLS.

TUBERCULOSIS SURVEY. PROPOSALS- BY DEPARTMENT. . USE OF TUBERCULIN TEST.'. [BY .TELEGRAPH. — CORRESPONDENT. ] ■ . , WELLINGTON. Friday. As ra development of the goitre, nutrition'and general health investigations carried out hvvthc Divisionof .School' Hygiene an inquiry; is to be made into,,the incidence or tuberculosis among school children. Tuberculin tests are tor.be made on children in certain schools in Wellington • abd in Mother parts of .' for signs of tuberculosis. The itests will be applied only to those children whose parents have given written consent, and will commence when the new school term begins. . The testes one that has been, thoroughly, tried out by the leading medical experts on tuberculosis in all;parts of the world, and has the highest commendation from Dr. G. J. Blackmore', of the Cashmere Hills Sanatorium, Christchurch, the eminent New Zealand authority on the subject. Early last month a circular was issued to parents of pupils at three Wellington schools, explaining the test'and asking for their written consent on' an attached form. The test consists of rubbing a little tuberculin ointment "upon. the skin and from the effect produced it is possible to say whether the child is free from tuberculosis or not. The proportion "of> consents varied from 50 to 75 per cent. Statement by-Department. The following statement on the subject was made by the department this week:—''Few people roach adult life without having suffered from tubercular, infection to > some ■ extent. With • tlie.better methods -of diagnosis and better facilities we have nowadays ' medical authorities estate* tliut there are very few people. who have not suffered to some extent from-the ,-resMt of tubercular infection, although fortunately in the majority of,cases it is conquered without' showing any lasting, illeffects.

.".We ajso,'know, in the examination, of children in s'chools,- that' approximately'lo per .cent., of thelchildren in schools, suffer from subnormal nutrition. This. does. ; not mean to say that 10 per cent, of the children in schools havo an ;food supply, but it does mean that there/is: a number"'of children who do not attain?the maximum of physical well being. Eradicating Early Symptoms. "The causes of this failure are various, but we know that undoubtedly a fair proportion of children classified as of subnormal s nutrition > have latent tuberculosis. "'"This fact would be alarmingdidvJo not kiiow* that early recognition of.'thS ;d:isoase and prompt treatment will result-in-these early symptoms being eradicated. Hence the value of any method which tellls us when an individual is in need of treatment. This is the object of-the investigation 'which is, shortly to be carried out in several Now Zealand schools, '"'.j' "Three city schools in Wellington have been selected for the first series of tests and a similar aeries ?s* to°''be Carried out in other parts of the Dominion. In no case will the "tesfc. be miade without the written j consent of ithfe parent or guardian of the. child concerned. Every care has been'taken to ensure that the-.'parents have a full - understanding of tho proposed investigation. In each case a moetjng of parents has been called at the school under observation and tho proposals thoroughly explained to them. ; , . Careful Examinations. | , "The scheme is being carried'; oiit by Dr. Ada Paterson, director of the.division of: school hygiene, and, Dr.. M,> Ch'amptaloup, ;■school officer, .with • the, cooperation of . Dr. McDonald Wilson, 1 ; medical superintendent of „the' Wellington Hospital, and Dr. G. J. Blackmore, of Cashmere Sanatorium," Christchurch. r . . "Children • who are under observation are to ;be subjected to a careful. physical : examination,, including observations as'-, to w.eightj ; height, general physique,', presence or absence'of defects, such as dental 'caries -.and' .a'deiioids.. It is expected'.' thiSt' ultimately a small group of childrot wili be found showing .evidence' of "tubercular infection. 'This does not. indicate in any way. active tuberculair disease, but does indicate that the chijd would bo liable to suffer from tuberculosis in the event of suitable steps not. being taken to counteract the tendency. '' i ; Value ol Health Camps. "The group of- children found to be liable to , develop ' tuberculosis ' will, with the parents' consent, be placed in suitable environment, a* health icamp or children's convalescent home. Nothing'is more reassuring than the response made by : sufferers to this -type of -suitable regime, and the advantage of being treated in time is obvious. One medical authority goes so far as to state that widespread action on tho lines indicated would result in a striking diminution, if-not an almos.t complete abolition, of tuberculosis froifr our "community. - ' - "The test; used is one well known to medical authorities in all parts, of the world and has been thoroughly tried out in the leading sanatoria in New Zealand. It is in no sense to be regarded as ;an experiment. It is the recognised policy of the Health Department to avoid anything .in the nature of an experiment in dealing with school children or adults. It prefers rather to , adopt a, conservative attitude and to await the results of methods which have been tried '. out and proved of real practical value by experts of known.'reputation."