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15
defective child and is notified to the Local Mental Deficiency
Authority (Middlesex County Council). Four children (1 boy
and 3 girls) were so notified as imbecile during the year. All
the feeble-minded children attending the Special School at Oak
Lane are examined twice a year (June and December) by the
School Medical Officer.
Mentally defective children of poor physical condition and
unsatisfactory health who are transferred to Oak Lodge School
often make remarkable progress physically within a few months.
The Head Teacher (Miss Wyldes) attributes this to the good food
provided at the mid-day meal in school—an opinion with which
I am in complete agreement. No corresponding improvement is
observed in the mental development of these children. They
respond to the special educational methods employed by
improving in attainment, but they remain mentally defective.
Epileptics.
Two girls have been ascertained to be suffering from major
epilepsy—one is at a residential institution and one is at home.
Seven children (3 boys and 4 girls) attending schools have attacks
of minor epilepsy .
Tubercular Children.
The ascertainment of the tubercular groups of physically
defective children has been carried out in co-operation with Dr.
Dobson, Tuberculosis Officer of the Middlesex County Council,
and I am indebted to him for the trouble he has taken in the
matter.
The virtual disappearance of tuberculosis as a cause of
physical defect and crippling among school children is largely
due to the pasteurization of the milk supply.
Delicate Children.
I have already discussed the official definition of delicate
children and explained my nil return of "delicates" in public
elementary schools.
Six children (3 boys and 3 girls) are entered on Table III.
as attending certified residential open-air schools. Six places are
reserved at the Russell-Cotes Open-air School of Recovery at Parkstone,
Dorset, for Hornsey children, and batches of 3 boys and 3
girls are sent there for six weeks at a time. In the course of a year