A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

462 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

This analysis indicates the quality of the "medical inspection." It
shows that 4,860 defects were reported whereas reasonable estimates
based on data from other sources show that 7,672 defects should have
been reported on children examined, and 13,250 defects if all school
children had been examined as required by law. In the face of this,
the'2,004 treatments (Table V), being only 26 per cent of the cases
examined and 1.5 per cent of the cases attending school, appear very
inadequate. Even this is more favorable than the facts warrant since
the treatments are not number of children cared for but number of
times treatment given.
HEALTH SUPERVISION IN CAPIZ.-This same situation is even
more marked in the annual reports of the district health officers of
Tayabas and Sorsogon. The situation in Capiz is slightly better.
Seven doctors, three nurses, and twenty-seven sanitary inspectors, in a
population of 292,665, inspected 15,463 school children; 10,124 were
not inspected. With 4,513 defects found on inspection 1,776 total
treatments at home and dispensary were secured, or 39 per cent. However, if the children had been well examined, at least 15,000 defects
would have been discovered. The effectiveness of the treatment in this
case is very low, only twelve per cent.
But Capiz with a better general record also errs in making the treatment record of school children appears better than it actually is. Thus,
the municipality of Kalibo reports 610 treatments of school children at
the dispensary while the dispensary report of treatments and operations
on adults 1 is 231; the municipality of Numancia reports 453 for the
school and only 45 treatments and operations in the dispensary; the
municipality of Makato, 160 for the school and 152 for the dispensary.
Hence the three municipalities report giving 1,223 treatments to school
children, whereas the same office reports giving only 428 treatments to
adults.1
CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE WORK OF THE PHILIPPINE
HEALTH SERVICE.-The usefulness of the above analyses lies in the
impressions the Bureau of Education receives regarding the health supervision of school children. From the annual reports of the Director
of Education the health supervision appears rather impressive. Observations by the Commission in the field lead to the view that the work
is poorly done generally, that follow-up and treatments are neglected,
and that the reports do not accurately tell the story. The service rendered in the vaccination of school children against smallpox and typhoid
1The district health officer of Capiz reports that adults are individuals over 1 year of
age. The Central Bureau uses 15 years as the division point for adults and infants.
These variations make the total reports of little value.