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Health Department.
Council House,
Hounslow.
s
30th January, 1911.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Heston and Isleworth Urban District Education Committee.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the third Annual Report
of the School Medical Officer on the work in connection with
Medical Inspection of School Children for the year ending
31st December, 1910.
The total number of children examined during the year
was 1,743, and the total number of examinations made 2,576.
Parents take a very considerable interest in the medical
inspection of their children at the schools, as many as 55 6
per cent. attending the examinations.
Seven hundred and ninety-five of the total number
examined proved to be suffering from defects requiring treatment.
Investigation was made into 404 of these cases,
and it was found that only 18.5 per cent. sought medical
or dental help. I am sure that all parents desire that their
children should be made fit and the main reason for neglect
to provide medical aid is want of means.
It is noteworthy that 22,368 attendances were lost by
children unfit to attend school owing to the state of their
health or uncleanness. This loss of attendance represents a
loss to the Committee and the State of £223 13s. 7d. It is
impossible to hope that all this money can be saved, but I
have no doubt that treatment promptly and efficiently applied
would result in the immediate saving of the greater part of
it. The ultimate gain to the community of having the
children of to-day made physically fit cannot be computed,
but any investment in this direction would certainly repay
itself in the course of a few years.