MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12768, 1 July 1911, Page 5

MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

CONSIDERED TJY HE VLTH 'CON-

FERENCE.

DR. VALENTINE'S. PROPOSALS

(Per

Press Ass6ciation)

: WELLINGTON, June 29. A scheme for tho medical inspection of .school children was proposed at tho Health Conference by tho liispectorGoneral of Hospitals, Dr. Valentino, to-day. After premising that any scheme would have to be considered i.i regard to* (a) tha actual requirements of tho country; (b) tho legislative and r.thor machinery immediately available' to' put such a scheme into operation; Mid (c) tho local and physicnl conditions of tho district, he said that from icports to hand it would appear that i!io system of -school inspection was -undoubtedly .necessary, but tho system need not be so expensive as that required in other, lands. The machinery of- tho Public Health,. Education, and Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act was .available' to put a scheme into operation. The scheme lie suggested could ;bo regarded as tentative and it was ;)jot suggested that it had not some obvious drawbacks. The details, of Dr. Valentine's 'proposals \\ero based on (1) the instruction .of teachers attending the Training ;v6l--loges in our chief centres" by means.of leoturos on anthropometry and 'diseases iind defects incidental to school life. , Theso lectures could be given by niedi- : .cul practitioners and spoc^list^'• (2) co'oijbriit.ion on-th-3 part * ~ ■'private r medical practitioners; / /" , :'inititijv-' tib'n or existence b.f <>«v-ptt^;?nts' departments at our general hospitals; (4)' tho fact that 'speaking broadly tho Government paid half the hospital ex-' pendituve of the Dominion by lnoaiiui.'Of" i.ubsidie;> from tho consolidated fund. 3i\ outlining; tho "details of the, schomo, he explained (l> that at regular interals teachers would be required to take details of the height, weight <md chest measurement of scholars, and forward same to the Depirtir.ent of. Public Health. (2^ Teachers to carefully watch for signs of illness and defects of vision or hearing. (3) To report to tho Educiitioii Kqprds children suspected to be buffering from illness or defects, sue a reports to be confidential. (4) 'Hie Hoard to loport to the parent concerned and (if the. parent is unable to pay for medical advice) make arrangement* to send such child to the out-patients department of tho hospital. (5) Tho medical attendant to fill "in a report on the case and send same to the Boaro, with instructions for further treatment. "The scheme would be ''supplemented by the appointment of special medical inspectors to supervise the work of tho teachers, to compile re-; ports, and enquire into the sanitary surroundings of schools. The reports of District Health Officers and Inspectors rnider the Public Health Acts would also bo available, so that the medical attendant would be better able to decide as to whether there was any factor in tho surroundings of a child contributing to its (illness. Then there could be periodical visits by the health officers to schools, , and lastly, there could be tho appointment of school nurses. Naturally these could be appointed later, but in the meantime the two nurses now in the Department and the district nurses could undertake the work. As to the cost, there were 180,----000 children of the school age, and of this number '30 per cent., or 54,000, would require some form of medical examination and treatment, but at least ten per cent, would bo treated by private medical practitioners. Ho calculatcnV that the cost of treatment would not exceed. £13,500, and that roughly speaking, half of this sum would'bo boriie by the Hospital Boards and the other half by the Government in tho way of subsidy. Against this were to be placed the sums recovered from, parents for the treatment of children. Preliminary to establishing outpatients departments tho Education Board could set apart suitable rooms for tho inspection of scholars. Then, as tho success of the scheme would depend oh the co-operation of the medical profession, it woukl; hti 'i great advantage .if :i Tinifonti fee for inspection ; of school children were agreed'upon.