MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14222, 13 June 1910, Page 6

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

^—, ,—- WHAT IS DONE IN TASMANIA. AN INTER KSTING REPORT. In reply to inquiries, Mr J. Clark Thompson. s,-,-i-ei.iry or the Jlawke's Bay School Committers' Association, lias received the following information I iro-i! uie lasmamau Lui,-aL,uu jjtjj.u e [ in en t: — lii February, 1907, two part time medical inspectors were appointed for Jlobart and Launceston schools and one full time oi'heer for the cotintrv. Although in England there has bee;;' much controversy concerninc the merits of tlie whole time versus part time medical oflicer, in Tasmania the double system has been founded to work well." Aim.—The aim of the medical inspection in Tasmania is mainly utilitarian and economical —that i-. to detect those children who are physically unlit to heueiu hy the im clern educational methods, and Lo improve school conditions for them. Deliberate anthropometry is not attempted, the estimation of actual physical obstruction to mental receptivetmss being regarded as of mote imiv.fidiato moment. Method. —In city schools tho part time inspectors visit each school at least once weekly. They examine .all new scholars, and visit the class rooms regularly, picking out any children - they tlnnk_ require further attention. Tho examination on entcrine, school comprises tin- usual physical details of height and weight, acuity of vision and .hearing, and unv other' nh\sical or mental defects, as adenoids. ' defective speech, heart disease. A brief hisiorv of prevaihn- illnesses is included. This is of practical value in enabline; nonimmunes to he sorted out for exclusion in an outbreak- of tho ordinary communicable diseases. The details "are entered in a card index-—white for bovs blue for girls. Defective children are entered in a register, together with notes of advice yiven to the teacher >Vhen th feet is hkelv to interfere with edueai tonal progress a blue notice is sent to the parent. Should the child be sufierin;.- iroiu an infectious disease a red notice is .sent. Copies of notifications oi mtectious dis-'ase.s occurring in city districts are forwarded bv the Department of Public; Health* to tho medical inspectors. The'eiiv inspectors send in monthly returns of "tho number oi ehildn-n examined, the number of vests paid and the number ui dnldreu u I til defects. In country schools, notice as a rulo ■ is not sent p., tlie school. ,-,-. one wi.di.-s to see the ordinary conditions of venul.-i----tiou and cleanliness, both of buildocs and children. An inspection of the buiid-n- -is made. 'The children aro then examined Tho card index basnet la-en nit-oduced into country schools, a medical iciti-r only heiiie; used. The nitmo ic.ammation of children is made as in the city schools. Tho same notices are sent to the parents should there he any ,k loots likely to interfere with educational progress. Advice , s ■A' veil to tho teacher in rejrard to the best bye,en,c conditions for the children, o. rllatiou aa-d ventilation bciim ' eiiphoucd to the teacher. In no case ' ,: ' I:i V educational work of the school . mterleivd with, ox.opt.n;.- .mioo-,. s i ;,,,,-' H... 1 de-k, shocld he turned 5,?7, "* ' eel left li,-.!, lin•■ . '" "'j '""•<"■;••< ,="'■■ aiy-n (.. the niotbers alter school ~, ~„„. ~, ~,„ ~„„„,,.v to;- n, on ".oueral hy;-iene. feechmr o '|- mliints. (■!,•, Mothers are lliero ' told ! f »''•* '-liil'!"--,, have a„vdef,,-i, 1 1k( ,,, to inlerlci,- u„h edccalional process ' 1 A ,ned„,,l ma,, al.o deliv,.,-, „ ~„,,,„ , "> lectures at. the liMlmim c 011;.,,,, .School hv:;,e|,e, (, (o„- loci n ,rVa Isolloo!!! ' Idv-i lli-.-L aid. Tip- advwiteo-s' of ar,: 1 :;;:;;;;.!:^;;^- 1 -- 11 -'-^-^

vi S ,o"f h 'l-Ml '"' : V is »"».-fl.il.lron with I^M^e'bea^L'b::;-.^-!-,.;!;,;^:; 5.«1:.|.t.«,M «,l I.lardolt', broken riim opt!!! '"' l for school use. K has been '"'l ""'si Tlio children " the prenaratmy ohe.s verv readily -•;■>'■» to use i, : „,d „ .-every iutorestec . lie test, can, !„. i.„,- m .<l into a name i r" !,, 7 , ¥0T7 TI "; t,;St " S "' l '" S l'>»'ulli-sper '.,. " • Ml "" 1 w "'-'-. '"■•"->• cluklren ncwi bavme hear.) fl wafeh. Sixteeueiehteeu ,s re.-arded as defective. abont'n "- r, '" v '' , : l ', !u :' 5 v,,, '>- P'-'-valent, a out oOoercent. ],,,,„ ad'ected. These lie tenarded as interfering with educational nroeress when tho hearing j s eb.?r'rV"' ll J hc ™ ShoUkl h 0 a »y <*>"Seliarge from tho ears. ii, I ,Vi r,ls ?" i, V 1 "' n,Bcl,V},, I,rn rf the Education De.onrtment is under the direct,,,,, of the Chief Health Office" In a community such as Tasmania this arrancement possesses manv adv-.ni-a.ees, m that it, „voids dup"lieatio„ „f expense for laboratory or library outfit, and enables tlm medical inspee tors to ncomre technical assistance n, u | a< | vie. in matters of school and iiener-il sanitation.