HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS 



are followed by individual examinations of pupils selected be- 

 cause they are suspected of suffering from contagious diseases. 

 Previous to entering, each child has been given a physical examina- 

 tion, and this is repeated in the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth 

 years of school life. On each of these occasions an examination 

 of heart, lungs, throat, spine, skin, and the higher sense organs is 

 made, and (in the case of boys) an examination for hernia. The 

 findings are entered on a report blank which accompanies the child 

 from grade to grade. Twice a year the teacher records the height 

 and weight of individual pupils. Whenever it is deemed necessary, 

 the school physician takes chest measurements. The records of 

 children who seem to require the regular care of a physician are 

 marked accordingly, and these children report at regular intervals 

 to the school physician. It is the duty of the school physician 

 to give advice to the teacher with reference to the child. Parents 

 are notified of the results of the examinations. 



There is wide variation in the thoroughness of medical 

 inspection in different parts of the empire. Thoroughly organized 

 systems under state regulations exist only in Saxe-Meiningen and 

 Hesse-Darmstadt where every school, both public and private, in 

 the country as well as in the city, is provided with a state-appointed 

 physician. In other states the school physicians are appointed 

 by and work under the municipal Magistral, the local board of 

 education, or the board of health. 



In the year 1908 some 400 towns and cities had systems of 

 medical inspection of schools, employing about 1,600 physicians. 

 There are three common plans of employing and remunerating 

 these school physicians. Under the first form of organization the 

 physician is employed on full time, is paid a salary ranging from 

 $1,750 to $2,750 per annum, and has the right to a pension. 

 Under the second plan, a salary of from $i 50 to $250 a year is paid 

 for part time services, and work is usually carried on in addition 

 to other public health services, for which separate payment is 

 made. Under the third plan, payment is made on a per capita 

 basis, according to the number of children inspected, and the 

 scale of payment ranges from 6 to 16 cents per child per year, the 

 average being about 12 cents. Payment is also sometimes made 

 at the rate of from 60 cents to $ i .00 for each class examined. 



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