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167
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education
and scoliosis and 1 had slight lordosis. Of the 4 with flat chest, 2 show improvement in the spinal
defect, the other two are unimproved.
Moreland Street, Finsbury, E. (Girls)—(Dr. Hadfield).—This class was commenced at the
beginning of May, 1913, and all the children composing it were examined and a special record made
for each either on May 5th or June 9th, 1913. They were reinspected on January 16th, 1914.
Twenty-three children have been in the class during this period, although owing to various causes
the number included at any one time has been somewhat less. The class was taken in the School
Hall for twenty minutes each school day. The considerable amount of success attending the class
must be largely attributed to the great keenness and interest shown by the head mistress and the
teacher in charge. For the purposes of the class each pupil was provided with a "combination
garment" which formed a very suitable dress for the work. These garments were made partly at
the school and partly at the pupils' homes. The cost was also divided between the school and the
parents.
With regard to individual physical defects, all the children showed improvement—naturally
some more than others. Spinal Curvature—Antero-posterior.—No tubercular cases were admitted.
The cases of round shoulders and lordosis show improvement. Lateral.—All have improved. In
some the curve has quite disappeared. Fixity of Spine.—This was a marked defect in most cases.
Some have not improved much. The majority are decidedly better. Shoulders.—Now nearly all
hold their shoulders better, though they tend to drop into a bad position again when not at attention.
This shows that considerable time will be necessary to eradicate the habit of bad position. Chest.—
Nearly all cases show increased chest measurement and increased chest expansion.
In one other important feature there has been very real improvement, viz., in the girls' mental
condition. A number of those selected were unsatisfactory in various ways especially in the lack
of inhibition and control both mental and physical. In fact they were presented for examination for
this reason. It is satisfactory to find that the teachers record that marked benefit has been the
result.
"Snows fieds' " (Bermondsey).—(Girls).—(Dr. Macdonald).—A special physical exercise class
for 26 anaemic and debilitated girls was started soon after the Easter holidays, and has been conducted
very satisfactorily by one of the assistant teachers for two complete terms. The special class is
drawn together from all standards of the school for half an hour daily, sometimes for two half-hours,
morning and afternoons, if the hall is available. The class is always taken by the same teacher, who
has been able, with the help of the head teacher, to devise a graduated system of physical exercises,
partly from the syllabus and partly from additional exercises, such as skipping, dancing, and games.
In other ways also everything that is possible is being done to improve the physical and medical
condition of the children, and during the past month, owing to the poor and wretched home conditions
of the children, and their debilitated conditions, as the result of inadequate nourishment, arrangements
have been made to give each child half a pint of hot milk every morning at 10.30 o'clock.
The results have been unexpectedly good—the children's appearance has altogether changed. They
now appear happy and bright, the head teacher remarking that the children do not now look like the
same girls, and they are much more responsive in their work, keener, and more alert than formerly
was the case. The average increase in chest expansion was 1.27 c.m. The organisation of the class
has demanded much extra time and trouble on the part of the teacher, but the results appear to
have justified the experiment.
Weston Street, Bermondsey (Girls).—(Dr. Colston Williams).—Twenty-two girls were selected
from Classes 1-5 (the lowest class being omitted); the ages ranged from 8-13 years. The girls
were chosen chiefly on account of bad posture, but a few on the ground of general slackness of
muscular tone. Four girls left school during the term; the roll in January was 18; the average
attendance before Midsummer was 16.3, and after was 13. Twenty minutes per day were given in
the morning session before playtime. The girls took off boots or shoes immediately after entering
the hall; those ready first skipped with single ropes until the whole class was ready.
(1.) Breathing. The girls lie on their backs on the floor for deep breathing exercises.
(2.) Tables 12, 13, 14 and 15 (B. of E. syllabus). One table taken daily.
(3.) Simple dances.
(4.) Skipping (with music).
Those girls showing postural deformities, such as round shoulders and dorsal curvature were
much improved. Chest expansion as a rule shows little increase, with the curious exception of one
still untreated case of adenoids. The way in which the exercises are carried out by the children has
greatly improved, especially in the case of the delicate and weakly, all being now quicker in response
and displaying improved muscular balance. The clothing of the children in some cases is most
unsuitable; one child at the last visit was wearing nine layers of clothing over her chest and her arm
movements were impeded. The class has exercised every day without interruption.
Recommendations for a future class.—(1.) A suitable, light gymnastic garment. (2.) The
formation of a list in the school during routine medical inspection of all cases likely to benefit by such
special class exercise, the final selection to be made from this list, with the inclusion of suitable cases
noted by the teachers during the year. (3.) Milk for underfed children in the class.
The head mistress took the class herself, and the general results, which have been exceedingly
good, must be ascribed to the interest she has shown and the pains taken by her in teaching the
children.
Betts Street, St. George-in-the-East (Girls).—(Dr. Ruth Balmer).—This class has been held every
morning for twenty minutes since May, 1913. There were originally nineteen girls in the class aged
about twelve years, two have now left and one was absent at the final inspections at the end of the
year 1913. The girls were suitably dressed in loose tunics and knickers and all wore rubber-soled
shoes. They seemed thoroughly to enjoy the drill and did the exercises, running, etc., with energy,
precision, spring, and lightness. The chief defects among the girls were spinal curvatures,