Medical inspection of schools and school children

Abstract

There are very great advantages in having the cost of medical inspection provided by a local, and not an Imperial Authority. It will make the former take an interest in, and, I believe, a pride in its schools, which it has no inducement to take at present. The inspection will be undertaken by a Local Medical Officer, under the supervision of the principal Medical Officer of Health of the district, in full co-operation with the Public Health Department, and the local ratepayers will see the report upon the physical condition of the local school children, and the sanitary condition of the local schoolhouse - a report by a man they know, and not by an unknown official sent down by an unknown Board in Dublin. It would be a great advantage to have (as in England) the medical inspection of schools and school children closely associated with and worked in full co-operation with the Public Health Department, the Public Health Officer of the district being the official head of the School Medical Officers in that district. If this paper's suggestions were adopted the local authorities would defray the cost of the actual inspection of the schools in their respective localities, and all that the Treasury would have to supply would be funds for the expenses of the head office. Many important questions have not been dealt with in this communication, notably that most important one of the nature and extent of the share in school management to be entrusted to the local authorities. My excuse is that the real object of my paper is to elicit the opinions of more competent persons upon this and other matters connected with the health of school children rather than to advance any particular proposals of my own.