View report page

282
General
In this year, School Medical Officers in Greenwich examined
16,225 children. This number formed 43.3% of the school roll and
was the highest proportion of children examined in the Inner
London Boroughs.
Among those examined 1.10% were found to be in an unsatisfactory
condition. This was the highest figure for the Inner London
Boroughs. It may have been due to School Medical Officers in
Greenwich imposing higher standards as the number of children
referred for treatment or requiring further special examinations was
about average in comparison with the other areas served by the
Inner London Education Authority.
Verrucae
Trials continue with a fungicidal preparation which has residual
activity and is being applied to polished floors in an attempt to
reduce the number of verrucae in schoolchildren.
At the school in which the pilot scheme is in progress, there
were 54 reported cases of verrucae in September to December 1965,
while in the corresponding period of 1966 there were 19 cases. While
this improvement is most heartening, it must be remembered that
the overall incidence of verrucae among schoolchildren in Greenwich
decreased during 1966.
Special Investigations
A 'Heights and Weights' survey of schoolchildren was carried
out at 13 selected schools in the Borough. This survey, organised in
connection with the study of growth of London schoolchildren, was
supported by the Institute of Child Health.
Immunisation
Greenwich continues to hold the best record for immunisation
in the Inner London Boroughs. It has the highest figures for immunisation
against smallpox, diphtheria (91.9) and whooping
cough. The figures for polio immunisation are the second highest.
It will be noted that there were 498 cases of measles among
schoolchildren. In this year under review the measles incidence is
high but there is no indication that the disease has caused any
serious complications, which is a tribute to the high general health
standards of the school population. Undoubtedly the introduction of
routine measles immunisation could reduce this incidence, but in
view of the comparative mildness of measles it is not considered
necessary or at the moment worthwhile to launch a full scale Borough
immunisation programme. As the figures indicate, our major efforts
are being directed, and not without success, at the more serious
infectious diseases. Measles immunisation can, of course, be given
selectively to schoolchildren who by reason of poor general health or
physique may be considered liable to develop serious complications.