LEGAL PROVISIONS 



authority, is counseled to instruct their medical officer of health 

 to advise the education committee and assume responsibility for 

 the new work. Where no school medical officer has been appointed, 

 it is suggested that his appointment be made by the education 

 authorities. Where there are already school medical officers it is 

 suggested that they be retained if competent and sufficient for 

 the new duties. 



Although there is no provision for school nurses in the act, 

 the board of education advises that wherever practicable such 

 nurses be employed. 



The board decided that not less than three inspections during 

 the school life of a child would be necessary to secure the results 

 desired. In certain areas, the board may from time to time 

 require inspection at shorter intervals and of a more searching 

 character. 



The inspection of the sanitation of school buildings, the 

 prevention of the spread of contagious diseases, and the super- 

 vision of the personal and home life of the child are also suggested. 



Finally, it should be observed that neither the act nor the 

 memorandum contains any section whatever requiring that 

 parents of school children found diseased or defective after such 

 inspection shall be compelled to provide proper medical attention 

 at the hands of their own physician or of the hospital authorities.* 

 As a means of securing the co-operation of parents the memoran- 

 dum recommends "that each local educational authority should 

 encourage one or both of the parents of the child to be present 

 at the first inspection, and to this end a notification should be 

 sent to the parents as to the time and place at which it will take 

 place." 



THE MASSACHUSETTS LAW 



Let us now consider for comparison with the English statute 

 the first legislative enactment in the United States which made 

 medical inspection mandatory. As this Massachusetts law was 

 the initial legislative effort in America along this line, it seems 

 worth while to quote it in extenso. Legally it is known as Chapter 



* See Chap. VI, p. 86, for information regarding compulsory action taken 

 in England. 

 12 



