View report page

163
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education.
presented physical signs which warranted their notification as definite cases of phthisis. All did well
with the exception of some five or six in whom no definite signs of disease could be detected, but who
remained the same to all appearance at the end of the year. Broadly, it may be said that this year's
work agrees with previous experience and furnishes further evidence of the benefits of open-air school life
in strengthening the debilitated condition of children.
| I Shooters Hill.—The school was re-opened on 12th April, 1912, with about 83 children mostly
drawn from East Greenwich, Westcombe Park. Charlton. Woolwich and Abbey-wood
Shooters Hill
School.
During the period between the commencement of the school (12th April) and the end of that
month the weather was cold, but fine generally. May was warm, dull and changeable, and on one day
in each week it was necessary for the rest time to be passed in the bungalow. The greater part of June
was fine and rest in the bungalow was compulsory on one day only, but during July and the first ten
days of August, hot and cold and dull weather alternated and rest was taken in the bungalow on one
day each week. For several days afterwards the weather was dull, but rest was taken outside ; the last
seven days of the month were all wet and the bungalow had again to be used several times for rest.
September was fine and rest was taken outside during the whole month. " Slats," that is, pieces of wood
in lattice form nailed together and placed on the ground for the seats to rest Upon so as to prevent them
sinking into the mud, were Used occasionally during the summer months, but from September they were
a necessity. Although the year was wet, the occasions on which it was necessary to take rest in the bungalow
were few. The attendance for June was 96'5 per cent., and for the whole quarter 92 4 per cent.
All the children belonged to the delicate class, i.e., to the class including some 10 or 15
per cent, of the ordinary school population who, as a result of ill-health, are backward and dull.
The following is a list of the morbid conditions noted in the children admitted. Although acute
and active cases of phthisis were refused, a certain proportioif, as will be seen, showed early signs of
tuberculosis. Some children had two or more defects—
Defect or Disease. Boys. Girls. Total.
Anæmia and debility 14 23 37
Tonsils 4 6 10
Adenoids 4 3 7
Rickets 5 2 7
Nasal disease 1 — 1
Emaciation and malnutrition 3 2 5
Tubercular disease of glands 4 6 10
Eczema 1 — 1
Tubercular disease of lungs 3 4 7
Heart disease 2 1 3
Otorrhcea — 1 1
Nephritis — 1 1
Defective vision 3 1 4
Blepharitis 6 1 7
Bronchitis and other chest complaints 4 — 4
Scoliosis 1 6 7
Poor expansion of chest 9 7 16
Strabismus — 1 1
Defective teeth—1 carious tooth 7 1 8
2 „ teeth 12 12 24
3 „ 4 4 8
4 „ „ 4 1 5
5 „ „ 1 1 2
6 „„ - 2 2
Total 92 86 178
Some 3¼ hours were devoted each day to actual study, one hour to manual work and two hours
in the afternoon for sleep. At 9 o'clock a breakfast of bread and milk or porridge was provided. At
12.40 dinner, and at about 5, or earlier when the days grew shorter, a meal, consisting of cocoa made
with milk, bread and butter, with either cake or jam, or occasionally a banana.
There were two bungalows, in each of which two classes were held, but when the weather
permitted all the classes were held in the open. The school syllabus consisted of recitation, reading,
composition, arithmetic, geography, history, nature study, music (including breathing exercises), handwork,
drawing, needlework, organised games and physical exercises ; the school doctor reported very
favourably upon the various methods by which these subjects were taught in such a way as to
combine physical exercise with instruction.
The school doctor has made the following suggestions for improvements. " If, say, 60 by 20 ft.
in front of each bungalow were levelled and drained it would be possible for the classes to be held more
frequently in the open air. On many occasions it was impossible for this to be done because of the mud
that existed, and two classes were then held in each bungalow. It would seem preferable to have a
18820 X 2