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78
Diphtheria.
Diphtheria was also less prevalent in the district than in
1930; 35 cases occurred amongst school children compared with
62 in 1930. The cases were distributed as follows:—
Priory 9 Central 2
Berrymede 6 Derwentwater 2
Beaumont Park 4 JohnPerryn 2
Acton Wells 4 Acton Junior 1
Southfield 4 Rothschild 1
CO-ORDINATION OF CHILD WELFARE AND SCHOOL MEDICAL
SERVICES.
It has been stated in previous reports that circumstances
in Acton are favourable to the co-ordination of the Child Welfare
and School Medical Services, and the developments which have
occurred during the past year have tended towards the smoother
working of the two services. In some instances the same officers
act for both services. The School Medical Officers not only inspect
the school children but act as Medical Officers of the Child Welfare
Centres. Nurse Woosman and Miss Sorlie carry out the duties
usually assigned to a Health Visitor and a School Nurse. They
visit the homes where births have occurred, superintend Welfare
Centres, and each carries out the similar duties in connection with
the schools in their area.
Children under 5 years of age with eye defects and carious
teeth, can attend the School Clinic by arrangement with the Education
Committee. During the past few years the supervision by
the School Dental Surgeon has been extended. In the school
holidays at Christmas and Easter, the School Dental Surgeon
attends at the Infant Welfare Centres, inspects the teeth of the
children under five who attend, and gives an address to the mothers
on the care of teeth. Arrangements are subsequently made for
the treatment of the toddlers' teeth at the School Clinic. These
arrangements have been facilitated by the development in the past
year. The Child Welfare Centres formerly held in the Church
Road Baptist Hall and the Palmerston Road Mission Hall are now
held in the School Clinic premises at Avenue Road, and the East
Acton Centre is held in the John Perryn School.
MILK IN SCHOOLS.
The arrangement for the distribution of milk in the different
schools was continued in 1931, and the following tables give the
number of children obtaining milk in the Spring and Autumn Terms: