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London County Council.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER (EDUCATION) FOR THE
YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1906.
The duties of the Educational Section of the Public Health Department have been steadily
followed during the year ended 31st March, 1906. There has been no departure involving the application
of any new principle or fresh doctrine in the work, although it daily becomes more evident how
important is this medical oversight in the schools, and how intimate its relations are with every part
of the whole body politic.
The general scope of the duties is still widely extending. Non-provided schools are now included,
and arrangements have been made for extending the medical supervision to secondary schools and
training colleges.
In addition to their routine of school inspections the assistant medical officers have also given
a certain amount of time to detailed records of subjects of fundamental importance to the welfare of
children. Some of these matters are dealt with in this report, others are still incomplete. Quite
outside of his duty to the Council, Dr. Hanson has attempted to get hold of boys from the moral side,
by appealing to their manhness, and at great expense to himself, has demonstrated the possibility
of utilising the forces which, if neglected, produce hooliganism, but which when given direction promise
to react automatically to produce well-ordered and self-respecting citizens.
Prospective legislation is likely to add greatly to the powers of the Council in respect to school
hygiene, but apart from this a point has been reached where the question of rigid adhesion to the policy
of completely excluding any medical treatment from the work of the Educational Branch of the Public
Health Department may have to be very carefully reconsidered. Before another report is issued it is to
be expected that the second International Congress for School Hygiene will have been held in London,
and great gain will accrue to the whole subject of school hygiene in this country from the meetings to
be held in August, 1907.
EXAMINATION OP CANDIDATES.
All teachers, instructors or schoolkeepers who are employed in the schools are examined in this
department, and approved before commencing work.

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