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125
Non maintained
institutions
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education.
The principals, head masters and head mistresses thoroughly recognise the advantages to be
gained not only to the scholar but indirectly to the school, for the efficiency of teaching must largely
depend on the receptivity of the pupil and this again on conditions of good health. The advice of the
doctor on health questions is sought to an increasing extent and those in authority devote a considerable
amount of time and energy to interviewing and writing to parents, with the result that steps are taken
to remedy the defects found. This co-operation of principals, parents and students with the doctors
brings about a harmonious working of the scheme with most gratifying results. Appendix VII. (B)
shows the conditions remedied
The Council's scholars in attendance at non-maintained secondary schools, and all scholars
attending aided trade and domestic economy schools at which a system of medical inspection has not
been adopted have been periodically examined. These examinations began in the year 1912. In
many cases the scholars were examined at the institutions at which they were in attendance, but in
others the examinations were conducted at the head office in order to meet the wishes of the governors,
who preferred such an arrangement on the ground either of lack of accommodation, or the undesirableness
of differentiating at the schools between the holders of the Council's scholarships and other pupils. As
in the Council's institutions, a medical record card was filled in for each scholar, so that the scholars
were continuously under observation and were thus not peimitted to continue at the institution if through
illness or other causes they became unfit. The head masters and mistresses exercised vigilance and
showed keenness in obtaining prompt treatment of any ailments noted at the medical examinations,
and the parents responded to their efforts.
The figures given in this year's report show that this work is increasing and that excellent results
are being obtained.
Residential institutions.
During the year there were 9 residential industrial schools and 6 other residential schools (2 blind)
3 deaf and 1 mentally defective), with accommodation for about 1,170 children. To each institution is
allocated a medical offcer who, briefly, is required: (1) to attend the school at least once every week
and at such other times as may be necessary, and to enter the visits and the names of the patients
attended by him in a book kept for the purpose; (2) to examine the children on admission; (3) to attend
any cases of illness occurring amongst the children and to make a note on the cards kept for the purpose
of all serious cases of illness, their course, duration and treatment prescribed; (4) to furnish reports
to the school medical officer on the health of the inmates ; (5) to furnish any other reports or certificates
that may be required to the school medical officer; (6) to give immediate notice to the coroner of the
district of cases of sudden or violent death, or cases where he does not feel justified in giving a death
certificate of any inmate, and to report the circumstances of the case to the school medical officer.
Generally, the medical officers are seldom required to make special reports, but a return of
sickness is made monthly.
A dentist is also allocated to each institution, who is required to visit the school once in each
quarter; to perform all necessary extractions, scalings and stoppings; to arrange the work in such a
way that every child in the school is kept as far as possible free from such oral sepsis as may be due
to unhealthy conditions and to extract teeth and roots that cannot be rendered healthy; to see and, if
necessary, treat every child once in each year; to note on the appropriate cards the condition of each
child's mouth and the treatment carried out, and enter the names of the children treated in a book
provided for the purpose; to make a short annual report on the condition of the children in the school
with special reference to oral sepsis; and to co-operate with the superintendent in devising means for
maintaining the general cleanliness cf the teeth of the children in the school. During the year the
dentists made 95 visits to the schools, conducted 2,121 examinations and treated 843 cases, but some
of the children were treated more than once. In many instances conservative treatment was carried
out at the private surgery of the dentist.
Industrial
Scho 1
children—
Stature and
weight.
The heights and weights of boys of all ages in the Council s industrial schools have been tabulatec
and the results are shown in Appendix VIII. It appears from the figures that usually the boys in these
schools are inferior in height and weight as compared with the standard for boys attending the Council's
elementary schools. Generally speaking, the best physique is found among those who have been longest
in the industrial schools. The results, however, are not always consistent, a natural outcome of the small
number available for the investigation It may probably be concluded that the type of boy
entering an industrial school is physically retarded, and that a considerable period of time is required to
effect recovery from this retardation. The recovery is more rapid in the case of weight than in stature
There is no evidence of progressive retardation.
Pinces of
detention.
The three places of detention maintained by the Council were fully described in previous annual
reports. During the year 1914, 2,391 children were admitted as follows : Harrow-road, 798 ; Pentonville-road,
1,047; and Ponton-road, 546. The accommodation and classification of the institutions
are stated below:-
Harrow-road 40 boys, 13 to 16 years of age.
Pentonville-road 51 boys, 7 to 13 years of age.
Ponton-road 40 infants under 7 years of age ; 30 girls 7 to 16 years of age.
Schools for Mothers.
Schools for mothers, which are of comparatively recent origin, have considerably increased in
number during the past few years, and there is now one of these institutions in most of the metropolitan
boroughs. The chief aim of these schools is the provision of instruction and training for mothers in the
care and management of young children with a view to the prevention of infantile mortality and of those