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84
Disinfection.—All the rooms in nine schools, the cloakrooms of
15 schools and one classroom in another school were disinfected by
Formalin during the year. The cloakrooms of three of the schools were
twice disinfected.
Surroundings of Schools.—Attention was drawn in last year's
report to certain schools bordering on main roads, and the Education
Committee have under consideration the provision at an early date of a
cheap noiseless and dustless road surface in front of them.
(b.) THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE
CO-RELATION OF THE SCHOOL MEDICAL
SERVICE WITH THAT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
These are quite satifactory. The Medical Officer of Health is recognised
as the School Medical Officer under the Code and has acted as
Medical Officer to the Education Committee since July 1906.
Dr. Hall, appointed in 1908 to carry out the statutory inspections
continues to do so, and devotes the whole of her time to this work.
She is assisted by a nurse who fills in her spare time visiting the homes
of the children.
The work arising out of the medical inspection coming within the
province of Public Health is carried out by the Sanitary Inspector and
Health Visitor so that the two services coming under the supervision of
one person tends to economy of time and efficiency in its performance,
and avoids the friction and the overlapping which might otherwise arise.
The part time of one clerk has been deemed sufficient for carrying
out the incidental clerical work. Were it not that all the clerical work
of both services is carried out in the same office, one whole time clerk
would be insufficient.
In the near future probably the staffs of the Public Health, School
Medical Service and School Attendance Departments will be housed in
the same building and this arrangement would much facilitate and
render more efficient the work undertaken by them.
( i. ) The Board's Schedule of Medical Inspection has been adopted
with a few additional headings added for information as to occupation
of parent, number of children in family, vaccination marks, etc.
(ii.) The Teachers and Attendance Officers co-operate in the filling
up of certain items on the cards and in their transference to the office
and to the various schools to which the children migrate.
(iii.) The parents are invited to all inspections and their co-operation
is enlisted at the time and subsequently by visits from the School
Nurse, Health Visitors or Sanitary Inspector.
(iv.) The arrangements of all our schools are such that a class-room
is given up to the doctor's use during the inspections and the Central
Hall temporarily used as a class room, so there is little disturbance of
the ordinary school work.