Health Work in the Public Schools | Page 5

the most efficient possible
link between the school and the home. Her work is immensely
important in its direct results and far-reaching in its indirect influences.
Among foreign populations she is a very potent force for
Americanization.

CLEVELAND'S DISPENSARIES

Cleveland has 86 school dispensaries, or what are usually termed
"physicians' offices." These are rooms about 20 feet long by 15 feet
wide, located in the basement or on the first floor of the school building,
well lighted, and painted in white or light colors. Usually they contain
one or two small white enamel tables, several chairs, a wash basin with
running water, a white enamel pail for waste materials, wooden tongue
depressors, eye charts, a medical cabinet filled with instruments and
supplies, filing boxes, and printed forms. In 37 of the elementary
schools, shower baths are provided as part of the equipment of the
building.
[Illustration: Cleveland's dispensaries are well equipped.]
Cleveland's dispensaries are of exceptionally high grade. In every case
lighting, ventilation, and equipment are good. Many of the rooms are
large enough for conferences and hygiene talks, and in at least one
school--East Madison--the dispensary is used with desirable
psychological effect for the regular meetings of the Mothers' Club. The
excellence of Cleveland's school dispensaries has contributed in no
small measure to the efficiency of the medical service, and money
spent in this way has been a wise investment. It is probably true that
Cleveland's dispensaries are of better grade than those of any other
large city in the United States.
[Illustration: Columns are proportionate in height to the number of
children given physical examinations each year for five school years.
Portion in black indicates number having physical defects. The figures
above the columns show how many thousands of children were
examined and how many found defective in each year.]
These dispensaries have proved of the greatest value in rendering the
physical examinations of the children more effective and efficient. This
work is very different from that which relates to the detection of
contagious diseases. The latter is primarily a protective measure and
looks mainly to the immediate safeguarding of the health of the
community. The former aims at securing physical soundness and
vitality and looks far into the future.

The physical examinations conducted in these dispensaries have shown
conclusively that a large percentage of the Cleveland children--like
those of all other cities--suffer from defective vision to the extent of
requiring an oculist's care if they are to do their work properly, and if
permanent injury to their eyes is to be avoided. More than this, a
considerable proportion of the children are so seriously defective in
hearing that their school work suffers severely. Most important of all,
only a small minority of these defects of sight and hearing are
discovered by teachers or known to them, to the parents, or to the
children themselves. When the children attempt to do their school work
while suffering from these defects, among the results may be counted
permanent injury to the eyes, severe injury to the nervous system due to
eyestrain, and depression and discouragement, owing to inability to see
and hear clearly.
Moreover, there are other defects, in particular those of nose, throat,
and teeth, which are common among children and which have an
important bearing upon their present health and future development.
The importance of these defects is emphasized by the fact that, if
discovered early enough, they may easily be remedied or modified,
whereas neglect leads, almost invariably, to permanent impairment of
physical condition. These are the reasons why Cleveland's heavy
investment in school dispensaries is yielding a return in enhanced
health, happiness, and vigor probably unexcelled by the dividends from
any other sort of educational expenditure.

DENTAL CLINICS
Dental work for school children was introduced about a year ago by the
Cleveland Auxiliary of the National Mouth Hygiene Association.
Building space is provided by the Board of Education in four schools,
Stanard, Lawn, Fowler, and Marion. The Association furnishes
equipment, dentists, and assistants. Clinics are open three forenoons a
week and are crowded to capacity.
[Illustration: The equipment of the Marion School dental clinic cost

about $700.]
When this work started, it was frankly an experiment. Through wise
and thoughtful management the Mouth Hygiene Association has shown
that dental clinics for school children are both practical and necessary.
This having been demonstrated, the time has come when the city
should take over their direction. Cleveland should no longer rely upon
the activity of a private organization, but at an early date should assume
full financial and administrative responsibility for dental clinics in the
public schools.
Dr. William Osler, the distinguished English physician, is credited with
saying, "If I were asked to say whether more physical deterioration was
produced by alcohol or by defective teeth, I should say