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B.C.G.
Skin tested 1878
Found positive 231 and referred to chest physician when necessary
Found negative 1526
Vaccinated 1526
MILK IN SCHOOL ISSUED ON PRIORITY MEDICAL GROUNDS
Circular 12/71 (Provision of Milk and Meals (Amendment No. 2) Regulation 1971)
abolished the supply of free milk to children of Junior School age in all schools except that for
handicapped pupils. The act however, gave the Local Education Authorities the power to supply
it for individual children on priority medical grounds. The Bill proved to be very controversial at
every level of community life and the issue emotive. It became the task of the Health Department
to identify the medical priority groups and every effort was made to ensure that no child likely to
benefit from school milk was left out. An immediate total screening took place through scrutiny
of school medical records by Medical Officers in the Department, in addition Head Teachers and
family doctors as well as parents were invited to put forward such children for consideration. The
parents were then informed of the Principal School Medical Officer's intention to recommend the
child for milk on a temporary basis and were given the opportunity to indicate their wishes.
Subsequently all remaining children were individually examined during School Medical Inspections
and milk was continued or withdrawn according to the findings.

After completion of the screening procedure 23 children were referred from other sources
e.g. General Practitioners, and social agencies. 237 parents indicated they did not wish their
children to receive milk in school.
It is envisaged that the exercise will have to be repeated every year for the children
transferring from Infants to Junior Schools.
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