November 15, 1909
CONDITIONS UNIFORMLY GOOD.
Inspection of Schools Develops a
Few Cases Needing Attention.
School pupils should be taught in the open air, according to Dr. W. S. Wheeler, city health commissioner. Dr. Wheeler has in charge the inspection of school children, which was made since Wednesday in every ward school in the city by six physicians appointed by him.
"In the greater number of cases in which children in the schools were found deficient physically, the cause was lowered vitality as a result of being cooped up in rooms," Dr. Wheeler said. "The normal child should live in the open air as much as possible and sleep in it.
"The inspectors not only examined the children, but also looked into the ventilation of the various rooms, examined the water supply and inspected every external feature of housing in schools. I t was found that many pupils had weak or defective eyes, hundreds had sore throats and chronic tonsillitis and a great number were afflicted with adenoids.
"No abnormal conditions among the pupils were found. The teachers seem anxious to co-operate with the physicians in charge of the inspection. Some of them already have begun to better the ventilation in their rooms. No room can be healthful where from sixty to 100 persons remain for hours at a time unless the greatest precautions are taken with its ventilations."
The inspecting physicians will visit every ward school in the city three times a week for a short period. The inspection will be cut to twice a week in a month or six weeks and afterwards to once a week. In the fifty schools inspected, about 100 children were sent home until they can be treated by physicians for weak eyes or sore throats.
Dr. E. H. Miller, city physician of Liberty, Mo., was in Kansas City yesterday to learn the system by which the inspection here is being made. It is probable that that city will take up inspection of children in its schools. A list of rules for the inspectors has been printed and will be sent out to them and principals of schools. The rules designate the duties of school officers and the inspectors in charge of the work.
