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99
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education.
would take effect only in very exceptional circumstances, and that the centre committee would accept
full responsibility for treatment. In the last five months of the year 1914 it was necessary in only four
instances to require the services of a private medical practitioner in this way.
Ringworm.—Since 1st August, 1913, additional facilities have been afforded for treatment at
the Fulham, Poplar, Tooting and Woolwich centres, and at the St. George's Dispensary. The numbers
of cases treated have approximated very closely to those provided for in the agreements. Under the
arrangement with the committee of the Wandsworth centre, the treatment of ringworm was carried
out at the surgery of a private practitioner in Battersea, This practitioner has recently left the neighbourhood,
and the question of the provision for X-ray treatment in this district needs to be considered.
It would, however, be well to see the effect of the opening of the new centre at Tooting before further
provision is made. In the arrangements for the year 1914-15 additional sessions were allowed at the
Norwood and Peckham centres where pressure has occasionally been felt.
Nursing treatment. The Board of Education in their letter of 24th June, 1913, stated that the
arrangements for nursing treatment were regarded by them as not altogether satisfactory, partly owing
to the insufficient supply of facilities, and partly owing to the absence of provision for securing the
prompt attendance of children at the centres.
In this connection it should be pointed out that, since the date of the Board's report, additional
centres for nursing treatment have been opened at Camberwell, Deptford, Finsbury, Greenwich, Nottingdale,
Wapping, Woolwich and at the " Redriff " school. In addition, the facilities at the Peckham
and South London (Battersea) centres have been increased. With regard to the provision for securing
more prompt attendance of children, arrangements are being considered whereby special inspections
may be carried out by the school doctors, of children referred by care committee workers, school nurses,
teachers and attendance officers an assistant organiser being present to make the necessary investigations
in such cases as are recommended by the school doctor for treatment, with a view to referring
immediately to the proper department cases suitable for dealing with under the Council's scheme.
Since 1st August, 1913, the attendance of children at the centres has been very satisfactory.
Until 31st July, 1913, the agreements in respect of nursing treatment provided for the reception of
25 new cases a week. It was found that this number was too large to be conveniently dealt with, and
for this reason it was reduced to 15 a week, a number sufficient to keep the staff fully occupied
during each session devoted to the work. Additional facilities for treatment are still in contemplation
and the map facing page 100, shows, in addition to the centres now open, the new centres under consideration
on 1st March, 1915.
Dental defects.—In connection with each centre the arrangements for the inspection by the dental
surgeons of children in the contributory schools have been continued. Formerly it was the practice
for each inspecting dentist to give a short address to the parents, on the subject of the care of the
children's teeth, upon the completion of the dental inspection of all the children of 6, 7 and 8 years
of age in the school. The plan now generally adopted is for the dental surgeon to address, at each
visit, the parents of the particular children just inspected. It is found that the parents are more ready
to avail themselves of the Council's facilities for treatment when the defects of their children can be
nersonallv discussed with them bv the inspecting dentist.

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