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To the Chairman and Members of the
HORNSEY EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the
year ending 31st December, 15)39.
The Board of Education, recognising the difficult circumstances
in which school medical work has been carried on since
the outbreak of war, have made drastic alterations in the annual
statistical returns asked for, and expressed willingness to
accept reports describing changes in the special services brought
about by the war.
The declaration of a state of war in the first week of
September brought the work of the School Medical Service to
a standstill by the evacuation of the schoolchildren, the closing
of the schools, and the occupation of the School Clinic as a
First Aid Post.
The cessation of work at the School Clinic was of short
duration. Before the end of September it was apparent that
there was a demand for the services of the Clinic for school
children remaining in the Borough. These were gradually provided
until, at the end of the year, all the forms of treatment
comprising the normal work of the Olinic were available—minor
ailments, dental, eye, orthopaedic, aural, etc.
The work has been considerably hampered by the dual
occupation of the premises by School Medical and First Aid
Post staffs. The building, designed for school medical work
and answering admirably all the demands of this work upon
it, is unsuitable for the reception and treatment of casualties
in any considerable numbers. In the interest of both services
it is hoped that alternative accommodation of a more suitable
nature will soon be available as a First Aid Post.
Evacuation.
The Borough of Hornsey is one of the areas in the outer
ring of London which are included with the Administrative
County of London as the Metropolitan Evacuation Area. Nearly
one-lialf of the elementary school population of the Borough
was conveyed by train to reception areas in the counties of