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53
herself, many years later she adds, that "The exclusion from school of large numbers of children suffering
from the minor ailments mentioned above (sores of all kinds, impetigo, scabies, ear discharge, sore eyes
and eyelids,) is responsible for a material reduction in the average school attendance of London as a
whole." (There has been marked improvement here, it may be noted, in the last 10 years). Another
obiter dictum of Mrs. White may be quoted: "The constant interviews of members of the Care Committee
tend to drive home a deeper sense of parental responsibility, and the timely advice and help
afforded at such interviews enables them to tide over a critical period and to sustain hope for the future.''
Mrs. M. A. Hills comments on the good physique of her upper class girls, and observes: "This gradual
progress is doubtless one of the effects of the great movement to secure the betterment of child life,
and the hygienic care of the child, which has made such rapid strides in educational circles during
recent years, and which for some time before was slowly but surely gaining ground." Finally, Miss
H. L. S. Oakes tells how "Class photographs taken in the seventies or early eighties show us children
dejected, ragged, bootless, collarless, unkempt, miserable in appearance, with all the signs of a low
mental level. They were verminous, had sore eyes, sores on the body and hands, were ill.fed, and a
proportion had vicious tendencies. Photographs of classes in the same schools to.day (1912) show a
marked change for the better. Clothing shows signs of being mended. There is a good proportion oi
the class wearing collars. Very few children are without boots. The child is cleaner, his attitude and
carriage have improved, the facial expression is better—and is more alert—the hands are not so limp,
The children as a whole present a much better appearance of well.being." Later, it is noted that:
"The slum child is undersized, but he is already a little bigger . The class of ailments
known as dirt diseases is being slowly conquered ..." and, speaking of children's school care committees,
it is stated that: "Ten years ago it was impossible to understand what was done in providing
(the children) with food, clothes, and boots, without long and wearying search. Now it can be grasped
in half.an.hour." With such a cloud of witnesses, who can doubt the improvement effected, and how
can the teachers, parents, voluntary workers, and members and officers of the late authority and of the
Council—those who have borne the burden and heat of the day—forbear to smile when they note the
acid tones of critics of modern civilisation and of the Act of 1870; and this, more especially in view
of the absolutely unquestionable fact that whatever may be said as to the physical defects of the
elementary school children born in the seventies, eighties, and nineties, it was the indomitable spirit
of these very children that was so largely instrumental in winning the greatest war of history
"The man who won the war was at our school," said a teacher at the recent Margate Conference, and
the cry at once arose: "Who was he ?" The reply came promptly, "Why, Thomas Atkins, six
millions of him"; and it goes without saying that his sisters and cousins (sometime of the girls
schools or departments) must also take their share of the credit.
During the year 195,162 children in the age groups were examined by the school doctors in
elementary schools and of this number 83,007 were found to require treatment for one or more defects.
A further 1,570 children in the age groups were inspected in the special schools and 68,498 elementary
school children not in the age groups were specially examined, giving a total of 265,230. In addition, the
school medical staff inspected 3,193 children for scholarship awards, and 5,494 children in connection
with their specific defect in special schools. A detailed analysis of the results of the examination oi
elementarv school children has been made by Dr. C. J. Thomas and is given on pp.. 55.60.
Medical
inspection.
Under the new regulations of the Board of Education the medical examination of children in
secondary schools maintained by the Council now becomes obligatory. Hitherto pupils have been
examined once every two years, but the Board now directs that each child shall be seen once a year,
with complete examinations at the ages of 12 and 15 years. Arrangements are being made for this to
be carried out at every school. The results of the inspection of 9,753 students, during the year 1919,
are shown on page 96.
Medical
inspection of
children in
Secondary
Schools.
Four new centres have been opened and the provision at many of the existing centres has been
extended. The total number of children who received treatment was 169,200 as compared with 143,577
in 1918. Under the arrangements approved for the year commencing 1st April, 1920, authority has
been given for schemes which will provide treatment for some 185,438 children annually.
Medical
treatment
The number of defects noted at primary inspections for treatment or observation coming under
review was 229,699. It was found that in the case of defects requiring treatment 36.5 per cent. of the
cases had received treatment within six months. 21.2 per cent. of the cases were deemed to be no
longer in need of treatment, and in 42.2 per cent. treatment was still required.
Re.inspection.
As in 1918, the number of children receiving free meals remained low and the presence of food
restrictions was still felt. The results of the analysis of samples indicate a great improvement in the
quality of the milk supplied to schools during the year under review. This is, no doubt, due to increased
facilities for obtaining cattle foods, the restrictions on the sale of cream, and a widening knowledge of
the methods adopted by the Council for the inspection of supplies.
Supervision
of dietaries,
etc.
As already stated, distinct advance was made during the year as regards combating verminous
conditions, pediculosis and scabies, both of which, but especially the latter, had been materially aggravated
by the return of men from the front. In May, 1919, 28 additional nurses were engaged and a revised
cleansing scheme was put in operation, as the result of which largely increased use of the cleansing
stations was made; moreover, the standard was raised, special attention being now devoted to the
slighter head cases and to those in which nits only could be detected. There was some exacerbation of
scabies in the autumn of 1919, and in March, 1920, it was decided by the Council to continue the services
of the additional 28 nurses for a further period of one year. A pamphlet prepared by Mr. Bacot, F.E.S.,
was widely circulated, and Mr. Bacot gave a course of lectures to nurses. The promotion of increased
use of public baths and washhouses was further exploited, an experiment being undertaken in Kensington
Personal
hygiene.