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114
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1914.
As was pointed out in last year's report, tlie table above shows more clearly than any other test the
benefits obtained by the weakly child when placed under natural conditions, for the proportional gain
of the open-air scholar exceeds that of the child in its old environment in varying degree up to 90 per cent.
Observations were taken as usual of the haemoglobin content of the blood by Tallquist's scale;
a number of children showed a greater degree of anaemia than was found in previous years (eight had
only 70 parts of haemoglobin compared with the normal 90-100); and the average figure obtained at
entry for the boys was 81'9 and for the girls 81-7 ; these figures had improved by the end of the year to
88*3 and 89-7 respectively.
The estimated changes in the haemoglobin content are shown in the following statement:—
Boys. Girls.
Number showing decrease of 5 points per 100 3
Number stationary 9 8
Increase of 5 points per 100 9 7
Increase of 10 points per 100 3 7
Increase of 15 points per 100 5 5
Increase of 20 points per 100 4 . 3
Regular frequent attention was given to breathing exercises, with good results; the boys who
gave an average chest measurement at entry of 23.5 inches (expiration) and 25.2 inches (inspiration)
had corresponding figures at discharge of 23.3 and 25.8, while the girls' averages were 22.9 and 24.7
inches respectively at entry and 23.0 and 25.3 on discharge.
The notes given below as to the progress made by individual children are taken from the school
record cards, and illustrate the improvement obtained in the tubercular child, the increase of weight
during stay at the open-air school, and the possibility of educating in the open air a child who has been
kept on physical grounds from the ordinary school for prolonged periods.
G.S.—M.—aet. 9—invalided for preceding three years by Council's school doctors as suffering
from phthisis ; admitted September, 1913, gained 5.5 kilograms in weight, had good general appearance
and was returned fit for elementary school in September, 1914.
D.S.—F.—aet. 9—phthisis ; had not attended school for previous twelve months ; no abnormal
lung signs detected at the end of the year at Birley House ; had gained 4.0 kilograms.
F.K.—F.—aet. 11—fibroid lung with considerable resultant deformity of the chest; general
condition was improved and the weight increased 2.G kilograms.
P.H.—M.—aet. 11—phthisis ; had spent several periods in sanatoria and had not attended
school for four years; was admitted in Octobe-r, 1914, and gained weight steadily, increasing 1.0
kilogram in two months.
M.C.—F.—aet. 12—anaemia ; mother and former teacher exceedingly pleased with improvement
; gained 6.0 kilograms weight and 15 points per 100 haemoglobin.
E.C.—F.—aet. 11—phthisis; developed phlyctenular conjunctivitis during the year; some
pulmonary signs at the end, but excellent general condition and an increased weight of 3.4 kilograms.
L.L.—F.—aet. 10-—admitted in October, 1914, with tubercular glands and phlyctenular conjunctivitis
; gained 2 kilograms in a month.
F.T.—M.—aet. 11—tubercular glands ; during absence in May and June lost weight, but regained
it on return : total sain for the nine months, 1.5 kilograms.
Shooter's hill
School.
Or. Peters reports that at ©hooters Hill school, three and a halt hours each day, or a little more,
are devoted to actual study, including manual work, and about one and three-quarter hours to sleep—
in summer, immediately after dinner. At 9 a.m. a breakfast of bread and milk or porridge is provided.
At 12.30 p.m. dinner of meat, pudding, etc., and at 5.30 p.m. a tea of cocoa, milk and bread, and some
"extra." The parents are encouraged to supplement this with some trifle before leaving home in the
morning, and before going to bed at night. There are two bungalows, but as often as weather permits,
classes are held in the open. History, geography and arithmetic are taught in an applied and practical
way in the open, as well as physics and woodwork. In accordance with the special war provisions,
since early November, the children have been sent home at 4 p.m.
The weather conditions for 1914 were as indicated in the following table, which shows the number
of fine and wet days, and whether rest was taken out of doors or in the bungalow. Fires are lit in the
bungalows when the temperature falls below 40° F.
Month.
(1)
Fine days
for time
of year.
(2)
Medium.
(3)
Wet.
(4)
Cold for
time of
year.
(5)
Mist
or fog.
(6)
Snow.
(7)
April. 1914 13 8 1 1 — —
May, .. 11 8 1 6 — —
June, „ 14 6 5 — — —
July, 9 10 3 4 — —
August, „ 16 5 4 — — —
September, „ 15 5 2 2 2 —
October, .. 7 8 7 2 1 —
November, , 8 1 9 3 3 —
December, „ 5 8 11 — _ —
January, 1915 8 5 8 3 — —