a threatened suit. Do not delay, awaiting Court action, but get your information to the Committee at the earliest possible moment. Many threatened suits may be prevented and have no future Court life by prompt action of Attorney. 50 Farmington Avenue, WILLIAM R. MILLER, M.D., Chairman. Hartford, Connecticut. Voted, to accept the report and place it on file. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON A SANATORIUM FOR THE NERVOUS POOR. DR. FRANK K. HALLOCK, Cromwell, Chairman. (Read by Dr. C. DeL. Alton, in the absence of Dr. Hallock.) Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: The activities of this Committee have been dormant during the past year owing to the fact that the establishment of a Sanatorium for the Nervous Poor will depend almost entirely upon the fate of the bill to create a State Infirmary. This bill was presented to the last legislature, but, owing to lack of available funds, action upon it was deferred. The purpose of the bill has the hearty endorsement of the Governor and it will undoubtedly be again brought before the legislature next January. If favorable action is taken and a State Infirmary is established, the hope has been held out to your Committee that one of the departments of the Infirmary would have as its function the treatment of nervous invalids who are not able to pay the rates in private sanatoria and cannot properly be cared for in existing institutions. Respectfully submitted, FRANK K. HALLOCK, Chairman. Voted, to accept the report and place it on file. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH DR. EDWARD W. GOODENOUGH, Waterbury, Chairman. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: Last June House Bill 706 was passed. "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR HEALTH INSTRUCTION AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE STATE OF CONNEC TICUT. SECTION I. There shall be established and made a part of the course of instruction in the public schools of this State a course in health instruction and physical education. SECTION 2. The course in physical education shall be adapted to the ages, capabilities and the state of health of the pupils in the several grades and departments and shall include exercises, calisthenics, formation drills, instruction in personal and community health and safety and in preventing and correcting bodily deficiency. SECTION 3. The course herein prescribed shall be prepared by the State Commissioner of Education, and, when approved by the State Board of Education, shall constitute the prescribed course in physical education. With the approval of the State Board of Education the State Commissioner of Education may employ experts to assist him in preparing such courses of instruction, and to assist in putting into operation the courses and work in the public schools of the State. SECTION 4. Every pupil, excepting kindergarten pupils, attending the public schools of this State shall take the course in physical training as herein provided, and such course shall be a part of the curriculum prescribed for the several grades. The standing of the pupil in connection therewith shall form a part of the requirements for promotion or graduation. The time devoted to such course shall aggregate at least two and one-half hours in each school week, or proportionately when holidays fall within the same. Four-fifths of such time shall be given to physical education and one-fifth to the teaching of health. SECTION 5. The State Board of Education shall adopt regulations fixing the necessary qualifications of teachers in physical education, shall require all students at the State Normal Schools to receive thorough instruction in such courses, and shall provide such instruction for such students in attendance at the State Summer Schools as shall elect to take such instructions." Dr. A. G. Ireland was recently appointed medical advisor to the Commissioner of Education. A syllabus of plans for the coming year will soon be issued. Lack of appropriation prevented the beginning of this work last year. On February 3d, at the annual meeting of the Teachers' Association in New Haven the general plan of our national committee on public health and education was presented. Their committee to confer with us was later appointed : Dr. A. G. Ireland, Hartford. Mr. Levi T. Garrison, Willimantic. Mr. Garrison and Mr. E. Ward Ireland met with your Committee on May 5th. A report of progress was voted and arrangements made for further consultation after the summer vacation. New legislation in Connecticut is seriously hampered by the influence of Christian Science and large numbers of irregular practitioners. To overcome this, public opinion is rapidly changing. The new Department of Public Health at Yale under Professor C.-E. A. Winslow is a most potent factor. His department is ably assisted by the nutrition work under Professors Osborne and Mendel, in mental hygiene by Professor Gesell, and the new Pediatric Department under Professor Park. Professor Pirquet gave the Benjamin Silliman lectures on nutrition at Yale this year. His new book is an important factor in the study of nutrition. The National Association of Child Hygiene met in New Haven last fall. The New England Health Institute held in Hartford this month is exceedingly valuable in its influence. As you know, the public press is full of material more or less valuable to extend this public education. Dr. Howard Lazear is the new Director of the Bureau of Child Hygiene under State Commissioner of Health. Miss Margaret Stack continues as the Director of the Division of Public Health Nursing. Dr. Lazear plans a survey of the obstetrical departments of the State hospitals. He also plans a thorough examination of mid-wives before licensing, and has a nurse who will follow up their work and if it is not satisfactory, license can be revoked. The observation of prenatal cases and of children during the first year is not intended in any way to interfere with the care and treatment of any trained physician. A great advance in this past year has been made by the rapid spread throughout the rural districts of medical inspection and examinations of school children by public health and school nurses. New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury show each year an improvement in this type of work. Nurses and physical directors need medical supervision and advice. Graduates in medicine as health officers and school inspectors will have this leadership as their character, ability and tact warrant such control. This means efficiency, rather than political control in such offices. Respectfully submitted, EDWARD WINCHESTER GOODENOUGH, Voted, to accept the report and place it on file. Chairman. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DR. D. CHESTER BROWN, Danbury, Chairman. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: I do not know just how the Committee on National Legislation was expected to functionate when it was appointed, but I do know that for a number of years it has drawn attention to national legislation that has already been accomplished, and has been of the nature of a review rather than a report of activities. With this in mind your Committee has been considering ways and means of making opportunities by which the judgment and opinions of the medical profession of the state could be transmitted to the national legislators of the Commonwealth, while questions relating to Public Health were being considered in Congress. This matter was impressed particularly upon your Committee on National Legislation during the time when the Shepard-Towner bill was being discussed and revised, but it seemed wise to wait until action had been taken and then draw attention to the fact that the medical profession of Connecticut was available upon any matter of Public Health. A letter was written to one of the representatives from Connecticut and the reply was such as to indicate a duty that this association should assume either through the individual efforts of a committee on national legislation or through the board of councilors. To me it seems wiser to appoint a committee of three on national legislation one of whom should be chairman of the Committee on State Legislation, and that this committee should establish cordial relations between one or more members of Congress and itself. It is well to bring to your attention that this same matter has been under consideration in several other states, and it has become a matter of individual adoption of some principle that will meet individual needs in that state. Respectfully submitted, D. CHESTER Brown, |