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73
testifies to the faith the parents have in the school as well as to freedom from illness.
The smallness of the number of cases of impetigo, combined with the absence of
ringworm in this school, besides demonstrating the nurse's care, is an indication
of the cleanliness of the children; the work of the staff in this direction is arduous,
especially on Monday mornings.
"The new diet appears to suit the children admirably, and although at first there
is some difficulty in getting them to drink milk, with very few exceptions they rapidly
acquire a taste for it. The attached diagram demonstrates an appreciable increase
in weight, which I think can be definitely attributed to the change in diet. A
remarkably rapid improvement in children suffering from rickets is noticeable.
This is evidently due to the general school conditions, as the only treatment these
children get is the daily addition of a little cod liver oil to the diet. The action of
the direct sunlight to which the children are freely exposed is probably also responsible.
"A question which has yet to be tackled sat sfactorily is the problem of discharging
ears. With the exception of two children who developed discharging ears
after measles, all seven cases entered the school with this affection and attended the
clinic daily for treatment. One has been definitely cured by the zinc ionization treatment
introduced into the clinic by Miss McMillan, and it is proposed to get the
parents' consent to having adenoid growths removed where indicated as soon as the
weather gets warmer, and to proceed with any further treatment suggested by the
Council's ear specialist.
"Another condition which obviously requires consideration is the prevalence
of nasal catarrh, which appears to be at its height during February and March.
This is a feature common in all nursery schools, and I cannot help thinking that
exposed legs with short thin cashmere or even cotton socks, and consequent cold feet
are conducive to this condition. It is most difficult, and especially so in the case of
toddlers, to keep the children supplied with woollen stockings or leggings, but I
think the Committee ought to consider seriously the question of nasal catarrh among
small children in an open-air school such as this."
Open-air Education.
The three open-air day schools for pre-tuberculous and debilitated children at
Stowey House (Clapham Common), Birley House (Forest Hill) and Shrewsbury
House (Shooter's Hill) were continued with the usual successful results throughout
the year. In addition, a further school was opened at Bow Road (Poplar).
Open air
schools.
The Council has also three residential open-air schools at Bushy Park, Wanstead House (Margate) and Barham House (St. Leonards-on-Sea). These form a
valuable means of dealing with the large number of children found in the schools
who are flagging in energy and unable fully to profit by instruction owing to the need
of a change of air.
The largest of these schools is the one for 300 boys at the King's Canadian Camp
School, Bushy. The present director, Mr. Devonshire, has introduced many innovations
in regard to the regime and education of the boys with very beneficial results.
Amongst them are corrective exercises for boys with round shoulders and crooked
backs.
Dr. S. H. Lee, the Medical Officer of the school, reports that the majority of the
boys sent are debilitated and anaemic, many having enlargement of the glands of the
neck and some with chronic ear discharge. Most of them are blessed with big
appetites, which enable them quickly to respond to the improved conditions under
which they live at the school. Very many are ill-developed, flat chested, round
shouldered, bad breathers. Special classes have lately been established for boys of
this type, and already signs of an improved condition of things are apparent. The
boys all seem very happy, their average increase in weight during their month's
stay being 2 lbs. The excellent dental treatment given at the school is a very large
contributing factor in the benefit they derive from their stay.
10161 F
Residential
open-air
schools.