View report page

125
Less satisfactory is the continuing increase in head lice
infestations detected amongst school children and, although
increasing attention was paid to treating the affected families as
a whole in 1972, there is clearly a need for an even greater
effort in the year ahead. In this context, it cannot be stressed
too strongly that infestation can affect children whose standard
of hygiene is perfectly satisfactory and this needs to be explained
to parents if their co-operation is to be obtained. Parental attendance
at school medical examinations enables such essential
health information to be imparted and it is therefore a matter for
particular regret that parents were present at only 52.4% of the
routine general medical examinations of Wandsworth pupils undertaken
in 1972. Such personal contact between doctor and parent
in the school setting ought to be given a high priority notwithstanding
the difficulties inherent in an age when more and more
mothers are engaged in full-time employment. Happily, in contrast
to the rise in verminous conditions detected, the number of
cases of scabies treated at the cleansing centres fell from 106
to 45.
Once again it is good to record that the incidence of infectious
illness reported from schools generally remained at a low level
although the number of cases of mumps rose spectacularly (from
21 to 704) and, disappointingly, those of measles virtually
doubled - 351 compared with 182 in the previous year. A modest
increase in the number of german measles infections was also
reported. These adverse figures in relation to measles and
rubeila - there is as yet no vaccine against mumps generally
available - lend strong support to the need to intensify the
immunization campaigns which have been launched in recent
years to reduce drastically the incidence of these diseases, in
the interests respectively of children born and unborn from whom
they can exact a heavy price.
Two accounts in the text of epidemiological investigation in
relation to tuberculous infection at educational establishments
in the Borough highlight the invaluable help rendered in this
still important field of tuberculosis control by the staff of the
local Chest Clinics and of the South-West London Mass X-Ray
Service. It is a pleasure to place on record my warm thanks to
Dr.Anderson (who retired during the course of the year), Dr.
Citron, Dr.Millard, Dr.Nash and their colleagues for their
unstinting help during 1972. The assistance of the schools in
relation to routine Mantoux or Heaf testing, and where necessary
BCG vaccination, and rubella immunization activities is also
greatly appreciated. Maintaining a high state of immunity
against these diseases in an extremely mobile population is a
constant challenge.