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7
attend at the time of inspection, and to bring any child under
school age for medical examination if desired. A majority of the
mothers accept this invitation and take a keen interest in the
physical condition of their children. Children under school age
to the number of 63 were inspected at the request of parents.
The usual three age groups were examined, "entrants,"
age 5; "intermediates," age 8; and "leavers," age 12. Having
regard to the age of entry into Secondary Schools—age 11 +—
medical inspection would serve the general educational scheme
better if four age groups were inspected, namely ages 5, 8, 11
and 14.* This could be done in Hornsey without additional
staff or expense.
I wish to express my appreciation of the interest taken by
the Head Teachers in the health and physical development of
the children. Their presence at medical inspection along with
the child's parent ensures co-operation of school and home in
measures taken to remedy defects. Defects of growth,
nutrition, posture and development are often things of insidious
onset and demand medical measures applied conscientiously for
prolonged periods—indeed, during the whole developing period
of school life and after.
Without the closest co-operation of the Head Teachers and
their staffs and the intelligent interest of the parents, medical
inspection would be a futile affair. It is a pleasure to record that
in this Borough it is an increasingly effective agency in promoting
the public health, thanks largely to the teachers.
Scheme of Medical Treatment of School Children.
The ultimate goal of the School Medical Branch of Preventive
-Medicine is the diagnosis of health and the maintenance of
health which implies full growth and physical development of
all children. We are still, alas, far from realising these ideals.
Routine medical inspection reveals numerous failures in
prevention in the form of disease, deformity, defective development
and stunted growth. Many of the defects found have
their origin in errors of hygiene, and particularly in dietetic errors
in infancy and early childhood.
* The suggested inspection of four age groups has been adopted and
it is now in operation for 1932 and subsequent years.