MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS 



1. It is impracticable to have the physician inspect all 

 the pupils every day. 



2. He should see them all sometimes. (In some 

 systems such routine inspections of all pupils are made once 

 in two weeks, in others once a month, and in still others 

 once a term.) 



3. Where school nurses are employed the problem 

 largely disappears, as the teacher and nurse together readily 

 decide which pupils should go to the inspector. 



In localities where systems have been carefully worked out, 

 teachers are provided with printed instructions as to the symptoms 

 which they should notice and on account of which children should 

 be referred to the school physicians. Probably the most carefully 

 worked out set of such instructions is given in a pamphlet issued by 

 the Massachusetts state board of education. This little book, 

 which so well fills the need that it has been reprinted for use in 

 many other localities as a good example of what such a manual 

 should be, is reprinted in its entirety in this volume.* Under the 

 heading " Some General Symptoms of Disease in Children which 

 Teachers should Notice, and on Account of which the Children 

 should be Referred to School Physician" it gives explanatory 

 directions under each of the following headings: 



Emaciation Eruptions of any sort 



Pallor Cold in the head with running eyes 



Puffiness of the face Irritating discharge from the nose 



Shortness of breath Evidence of a sore throat 



Swellings in the neck Coughs 



General lassitude and other evi- Vomiting 



dences of sickness Frequent requests to go out 

 Flushing of the face 



EXCLUSIONS 



In most cities examinations are made for the following 

 diseases: scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, small-pox, chicken-pox, 

 tonsilitis, pediculosis, ringworm, impetigo contagiosa, trachoma, 

 and other transmissible diseases of the skin, scalp, and eye. Tu- 



* See Appendix I, p. 183. 

 30 



