ools.

The efficiency of doctors and nurses is in no small measure due to the
frequent informal conferences of the staff. In addition to many
smaller conferences, once each month the entire staff meets--nurses as
well as physicians--to discuss problems which have arisen during the
preceding weeks, and makes plans for the future. These meetings are
very informal; nurses are urged to take part in the discussion, and
the result is the enthusiastic co-operation of the entire staff.

THE PLAN OF CONCENTRATING INTERESTS

An interesting feature of organization is the plan whereby each year a
different series of problems is attacked, and the energies of the
entire staff directed along this line. Thus, 1910-1911 shows special
emphasis laid upon eye defects, and nearly 11,000 children were found
in need of glasses. In 1911-1912, although the number of defects
discovered increased, the number of children examined strikingly
decreased. Extra study was made of adenoids, glands, nutrition, and
goitre. The following year less emphasis was laid on discovering
defects and the entire staff united in an effort toward correcting
those already noted. Practically every child in the system was
examined. At the same time one member specialized on hunting for
tuberculosis cases and another on mental examinations of backward
children.

In 1913-1914, the force was especially interested in the question of
communicable disease and the proportion of conjunctivitis, ring worm,
impetigo, scabies, and pediculosis discovered and treated was very
large. As a natural accompaniment of this activity, the number of
home visits and school treatments decidedly increased. In addition,
there was a notable rise in the frequency with which parents came to
the dispensary for conferences with the doctor about their children.

The record for 1914-1915 shows a decrease in the number of home
visits, which is partly accounted for by the fact that the number of
dispensary visits made by nurses has practically doubled. The number
of parent consultations with doctors has increased by one-half the
record for 1914, and in contrast with 500 health talks given to
classes by nurses last year, we have 1,260 talks by physicians and
4,431 by nurses to classes in 1914-1915.

This method of varied problems is unquestionably effective in
promoting growth and maintaining interest on the part of the staff.
Care should be taken, however, to provide that within each four-y