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and eye departments, in January, 1918, this work was extended (by kind permission of the superintendent)
to the skin department, and in May, 1919, to the orthopaedic department. The assistant organisers are
thus enabled to report to the school care committees on all children from the elementary schools who
attend for treatment in these departments, and by this means the care committees endeavour to ensure
regular attendance, and also to see that the instructions of the physicians and surgeons are carried out.
Notices are also sent to the school authorities when children are excluded from school, and again when
they are fit to return, and arrangements are made, when required, for district nurses to visit the homes and
carry out the treatment. By the kind co-operation of the hospital lady almoner, special enquiries on
children attending the other out-patient departments are also dealt with, and the care committees are
thus informed of the doctors' instructions as regards treatment and school attendance. In this way it
is often possible to ensure proper treatment being carried out and prevent undue delay in returning
to school.
During the year 1919, 3,177 elementary school children have been treated in the ear, nose and
throat department, and of these 1,027 have had the operation for the removal of tonsils and adenoids, in
the out-patient department. Many others have been admitted to the wards for operations on the ear,
nose or throat.
In the eye department, 1,646 children attended for treatment, and of these 871 were tested for
glasses; 81 did not require glasses, and of the remaining 790 for whom glasses were ordered 581 are
definitely known to have obtained them.
In the skin department, 2,080 children have been under treatment, including 480 cases of scabies
and 206 of ringworm of the head. Those suffering from scabies, if advised by the physician, are referred
for treatment to the Council's cleansing stations. A weekly visit is also paid by the organiser to the
light department in order to find out whether the appointments of those children suffering from ringworm
and sent for X-ray treatment have been kept.
Since May, 1919, 184 orthopaedic children have come under care committee supervision. Many
of these have been recommended for special examination with a view to attendance at the special schools
provided by the Council for physically defective children.
Education (Provision of Meals) Act.
In accordance with the scheme for the supervision of dietaries served to necessitous and other
children, the systematic examination of milk meals has been continued throughout the year. The total
number of samples dealt with was 1,214, as compared with 849 in the previous year.
Supervision
of dietaries.
Comparing the results obtained with the previous year, great improvement is shown both in the
general quality of the milk supplied and in the percentage of samples reported by the chemist to be
satisfactory; thus during the year under review only 8.6 per cent. of the samples examined were
found to be unsatisfactory, as compared with 31 per cent. during 1918. This improvement is probably
due to the increased facilities for obtaining cattle foods since the termination of the war; the restrictions
on the sale of cream (by the removal of the incentive for the skimming of fresh milk); and to a considerable
extent to the widening knowledge that the milk supplied to the Council's institutions
is systematically examined.
.. Percentage Maximum Maximum
Percentage Percentage
showing a addition of abstraction of
unsatisfactory. added water.
^jon^ J deficiency of fat. water. fat.
1918. 1919. 1918. 1919. 1918. 1919. 1918. 1919. 1918. 1919.
per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent.
January 73.6 100 70.8 4.4 2.8 5.6 35 25 13 23
February 91 8 129 91.8 7.9 2.7 5.9 37 20 6 40
March 63.4 112 57.8 40 5.6 7.2 13 21 26 25
April 6.7 15.7 Nil. Nil. 6.7 15.7 Nil. Nil. 10 30
May 330 17 9 19.7 5.7 13.3 12.2 19 53 53 26
June 22.7 66 40 3.8 18.7 2.8 8 14 33 13
July. 30.8 133 15.4 5.6 15.4 7.7 20 20 30 12
August Scho ol holida ys
September 5.5 4.1 3.3 4.1 2.2 Nil. 20 19 20 Nil.
October 2.7 30 1.8 30 0.9 Nil. 9 27 13 Nil.
November 7.2 Nil. 3.2 Nil. 40 Nil. 20 Nil. 23 Nil.
December 19.7 Nil. 15.8 Nil. 6.6 Nil. 36 Nil. 20 Nil.
From the above table it will be seen that the maximum addition of water was 53 per cent. (this
was found in a sample of milk supplied to a P.D. school in Whitechapel, and compares unfavourably
with 37 per cent. in 1918.) It will, however, be noted that the maximum abstraction of fat, which was
53 percent in 1918, did not exceed 40 per cent. in 1919 (found in a sample from a P.D. school in
Norwood).
It will be noted further that during November and December last, of the 289 samples examined,
none was reported to be unsatisfactory, whilst in the corresponding months of 1918 nearly 30 per cent.
were unsatisfactory.
Periodical examination of samples of meals other than milk meals has been continued throughout
the year. The meal before sampling is inspected by an assistant medical officer, who has in all cases
pronounced it to be of good quality and well cooked. In a proportion of cases the chemical
examination has shown the meal to be deficient in nourishing or heating constituents, and steps have
been taken to remedy the deficiency.