Proceedings of the Annual Meeting (Volume 6)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1922. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Organizing a Student Health Service By JOSEPH E. RAYCROFT, M. D., Princeton University, Princeton, N. J. AN APPRECIATION of the value Z- of building up a coordinated and efficient health service is growing rapidly among educational authorities. The number of institutions that have attempted to make additional provision for safeguarding the health and working efficiency of their students is increasing yearly. The character of the organization set up for this purpose varies in some respects in almost every institution, due to differing conditions. Whenever the organization of a student health service is discussed, there instantly arise two troublesome questions: What will be its relations to the work and the men in physical training and athletics? where is the money coming from? Too frequently the answer results in adding a new cog, which is independent of others, in the student health machine. In some places the hospital service is quite distinct from every other phase of institutional life that may affect the health conditions. In others the dispensary service is separate from, and under other management than, the hospital service; and neither has any affiliation with the routine physical examinations made by the physical education department. In still other instances there is no relation to competitive athletics either as regards supervision of contestants, treatment of injuries, or decision as to the length of time that should elapse between discharge from the hospital and return to training and competition. This lack of coordination in matters that affect physical welfare, is the rule rather than the exception, and stands out in marked contrast to the administration of the classroom subjects. The existence of these conditions in various combinations serves to...